What Might Have Been
by Meltalviel
Summary: Elphaba refuses the Wizard's offer. The Wizard, desperate to have things his way, tells Morrible to persuade her, at whatever cost. She'll soon find out the cost may just be too high. –AU musicalverse–
1. Sudden Silence

**A/N:** Alright :D. This is my first attempt at a Wicked story; I've only written drabbles. Anyway, I have _never_ ever finished a story before in my life xD. I'm horrible at that. So while I continue to work on Finale, this is my muse, I guess? I don't know how often I'll upload; I guess it depends on the general reaction, the length of my writers' block, and other things.  
Basic plot is credited to Aravilui, who wanted me to write a story in the first place . Thanks; you've been ... dare I say nice? XD  
So without further ado, What Might Have Been.

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me; any dialogue you recognise in this chapter is from the musical.

* * *

**Sudden Silence**

Elphaba Thropp's life was full of emotions. She had felt disgust, apathy, irritation, empathy, incredulity, and wonderment for the people and things that surrounded her. However, never had she imagined that she'd be feeling jealousy, embarrassment, giddiness, and even aching for a boy- she was _not_ that kind of girl.

Yet, watching the couple walk away on the walkway above, she felt a pang of longing: longing to feel what they were feeling, to hold a boy's hand and have him hold hers willingly with no remaining feelings of revulsion, to feel _love_- if you could call Galinda and Fiyero's relationship that.

She immediately brushed these notions away. She was being ridiculous.

The sensations that had been lingering ever since Fiyero's hand had brushed hers evaporated as Madame Morrible appeared clutching a wonderfully _emerald_ envelope. All at once, her heart filled with hope and delight- wishing and uncharacteristically praying that her dream had finally come true.

It had.

Hadn't it?

Elphaba found herself wandering back to her dormitory a little later, mind and pulse racing with mixed feelings and thoughts. When she opened the door, still clutching the green invitation, she found she wasn't as sure anymore. When Madame Morrible had approached her, she had felt as though anything to get her away from these confusing feelings she had been feeling towards Fiyero was a welcome relief. Now, however, she was looking at it more rationally, alone and composed. Was she even ready to see the Wizard? Would her temper hold up? That last question was the most disconcerting; she felt as though she was ready to burst already- would she say something incredibly stupid that would haunt her?

She sighed, placed the jade envelope on her nightstand carefully, and flopped down on her bed, covering her head with a pillow. She would figure it out tonight; after all, she didn't have to let Morrible know her decision until noon the next day.

Unfortunately, she would not get the chance to reflect.

Galinda banged the door open, obviously in a sour mood. She grumbled under her breath as she passed Elphaba's bed and whirled around the room in a flurry of pink. Elphaba sat up slightly, looking on amusedly as Galinda tossed several dresses out of her wardrobe, analyzing a few more, and then seemingly gave up and moved on to her vanity, where she started applying makeup.

"Trouble in paradise?" Elphaba inquired with just a hint of sarcasm.

Galinda spun around and looked up as though she had just noticed her green friend was there. "Oh Elphie," she whined, "You have no idea."

Elphaba snorted derisively. "Fiyero being rude, then?" It was frightening; part of her wanted Galinda and Fiyero to be having troubles, and she wasn't sure why.

"Oh, no," Galinda said, a small pout forming, "he's just so… _moodified_ and distant and… he's been thinking." Her small pout turned into a full-blown mope as she confessed, "And that really scares me."

Elphaba couldn't help but snicker at that even though she knew Galinda was looking for sympathy.

"Elphie!" Galinda cried, distressed. She abandoned her futile makeup mission and sat down on her bed, burying her golden head in her hands.

Immediately feeling awful for both her laughs and her previous emotions she had felt towards Fiyero, Elphaba's amusement faded as she said, "Oh, Galinda, you know I didn't mean to laugh at you." She slipped off her bed, moving to comfort her friend. "I just thought it was funny, Mr. 'Dance-through-life' suddenly becoming sullen and pensive. You have every right to fret."

"It's not just suddenly, though," Galinda argued. "He's been like this increasingly, but it just _really_ started today, after Dillamond was fired. I didn't know he cared about that old Goat so much, and… I just don't know what to do," she concluded with a wail.

Elphaba was at a loss for words. "Galinda, just show him you cared too, and you're willing to stand by him… or something," she finished lamely.

Galinda jumped up as though she had been burned. "Oh, Elphie! You're brilliant!" she exclaimed, her eyes glowing. "I'll take a stand! I'll… _change my name…_ or something."

Elphaba tried very hard not to stare at Galinda as if she had suddenly grown two heads. "Uh, your name, Galinda?"

"Yes! To express my outrage at this unfair treatment, I shall henceforth be recognized as simply Glinda," Galinda finished, looking proud of herself, "to acknowledge Dr. Dillamond's difficulty with pronouncing Galinda and of his dubbing me Glinda."

Elphaba felt as though she was surely dreaming. "Uh, Galinda-"

"It's Glinda!" Galinda- or Glinda, Elphaba supposed- screeched sharply.

"Glinda, then," Elphaba said, her irritation rising. "Are you sure this is the best way to- uh, take a stand?"

Glinda looked offended. "Of course! Dr. Dillamond would be proud-"

Elphaba buried her face in her hands. Had Glinda's maker forgotten to give this creature some _brains_?

Glinda crumpled as if her friend's reaction had proved that the idea was irrational. "You're right," she said meekly. "It's a dumb idea; I don't know what made me say it." She started fidgeting with the edge of her dress, looking vulnerable.

"Glinda," Elphaba said hesitantly, and then paused, trying to figure out what to say next. "You're right, I'm sure Dr. Dillamond would be proud you're thinking of him." She wasn't sure of what she was saying, but oh well: Glinda needed consolation.

Glinda sniffled and jumped off the bed in search of some tissues. She rummaged around her own nightstand, and when the search proved unsuccessful, she started on Elphaba's.

Elphaba, enjoying the moment of silence broken only by things shifting around, leaned back on Glinda's bed, her mind wandering about what to do with that emerald envelope.

As if Elphaba's thoughts were directing Glinda around her roommate's nightstand, Glinda suddenly drew a sharp breath.

Elphaba turned around, her "what?" dying on her lips as she saw what Glinda held up: the letter from the Wizard.

"Elphie," Glinda said, practically bouncing with excitement, her former dismay completely forgotten, "What is this?"

Elphaba sighed. Glinda was _not_ going to let this go. "A letter."

Glinda scoffed. "I'm not blind. But _who_ would send a letter in a gr- _emerald_ envelope?" She started waving the envelope in front of Elphaba's face, giddy.

"The Wizard," Elphaba said, defeated. She winced as Glinda let out a high screech of jubilation.

"Oh, Elphie! What does it say, what does it say, what does it say?" Glinda's excitement was almost as if the letter was for her, not for Elphaba.

Elphaba sighed again. She hadn't technically read it yet, but Morrible had told her enough. "He wants to meet me, Glinda."

Glinda squealed again, her curls bouncing in time with her jumping motions, and then she stopped, her grin fading. "Elphie… you don't seem excited about this." Her beam renewed a bit as she continued, "Isn't this what you've always wanted, to meet and work with the Wizard?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Elphaba's face as she murmured, "Of course." Her smile disappeared almost immediately, though, as she said anxiously, "But what if I ruin it, Glinda? You know how I am… what if I don't agree with something or say something _stupid _at the wrong moment?"

Glinda smiled sympathetically. "Elphaba, I'm sure it'll be fine."

Reaching a decision in a split second, Elphaba said with finality, "You're right. It will be." She reached over for the envelope still resting in Glinda's hand and, upon seizing it, tore it in half.

Glinda gaped. "Elphie! What in Oz's name?"

Elphaba forced a smile on her face. "I'm not going." With that pronouncement, she flopped down on her own bed, replacing the pillow over her head.

Glinda traipsed over to Elphaba's bed, grabbed the pillow off of her friend's head, and hissed, "Are you _insane_? You'll probably never get another chance like this- _ever_!"

Elphaba felt torn. "I know," she whispered. "But I can't do it." And with that, she grabbed the pillow from Glinda's hand, turned off the light, and sank back onto her bed.

In the shadowy darkness, Elphaba heard Glinda sniff tactlessly and stomp off to her own bed. "I still think you're making a mistake, Elphie," she said softly, a few minutes later.

Elphaba sighed. "Good night, Glinda."

Glinda obviously got the point, for no further discussion was held that night.

* * *

"B- b- but, my dear girl, are you _absolutely_ sure?" Madame Morrible seemed, for once, at a lack for words.

Elphaba closed her eyes. She had had this discussion three times now, including the previous night's conversation with Glinda. "Yes, Madame, I'm sure. I just … don't feel I'm ready. And plus, someone has to care for Nessa. I couldn't leave her alone," she added with a forced smile.

Morrible's face immediately went passive. "I see. Well, my dear, who's to say if another possibility like this will materialize? I'm sure your sister will be fine should you choose to leave."

Elphaba's smile felt completely stretched now. "Oh, no, Madame. It's not just my sister. I just couldn't do it; I th- _know­_- I'm not quite ready."

Morrible bobbed her head thoughtfully, her passive face still implemented. "Not ready magically?"

Elphaba nodded respectfully. "That, and other things."

Morrible's inert expression disappeared, replaced by a false grin. "I understand, dear. I'll take care of it, don't worry."

"Thank you, Madame," Elphaba murmured, a real smile appearing on her face as she exited the room.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll take care of it," Morrible whispered conspiratorially to the closed door.

* * *

"You're raving," Boq said with an incredulous expression on his face.

It was lunchtime, and Glinda had chosen to regale their group with the tale of the letter and Elphaba's rejection of said letter.

Elphaba looked at him, something akin to a glare on her face. "I'm not." She then turned to Glinda, who was sitting with Fiyero; the latter had a far-away look on his face. "Glinda, are you quite done telling this story?"

Glinda smirked, an eerie expression on the petite girl's face. "Nope. I think we can all truthfully say you made a peculiar choice; therefore, I shall keep telling it until you admit it."

Elphaba rolled her eyes, getting up from the table. "Enjoy your lunch," she announced sarcastically.

"Where are you going?" Nessa inquired curiously.

"No idea," Elphaba smirked. "I'm sure I'll find something to do without people pestering me about my choices, thank you very much."

A few laughs met this statement as Elphaba left the lunchroom.

She wandered about the school for a few minutes, and upon finding nothing of interest to do, made her way to the outside grounds. Lost in thought about nothing in particular, she hardly noticed the other students scattered calmly around the grounds; that is, until one of them collapsed in a heap.

She immediately jogged over to the fallen student: she was sweating and shivering in her state of unconsciousness. '_What to do?_' Elphaba thought fretfully. She looked at the student once more; it wasn't one of the 'cronies' in Glinda's old group… surely she wouldn't mind Elphaba helping her?

The girl groaned painfully. Without thinking on the subject anymore, Elphaba picked up the fallen girl with as much gentleness as she could manage and with a bit of difficulty, jogged back to the school, taking her to the infirmary.

A few strange looks were shot her way as she scrambled up the stone steps, student still in tow. However, she reached the infirmary soon enough, meeting no trouble, and called frantically for the nurse.

The nurse appeared with an agitated expression on her face that disappeared almost immediately as she registered the unconscious student in Elphaba's arms.

"Where should I put her?" Elphaba asked, feeling as though she was about to collapse herself.

The nurse gestured to an empty bed, gathering a few supplies. "What happened?" she asked curtly.

"I was just outside wandering around and I saw her collapse… she was sweating and shivering like she had a fever, so I brought her up here," Elphaba answered, watching the nurse examine the student.

The nurse looked up at her disbelievingly. "Anything else?"

Elphaba shook her head. "Is she going to be alright?"

The nurse didn't answer her for a minute, rummaging around with her tools more anxiously with each moment that passed. "I- of course, dear. Now please, go?"

Elphaba obeyed, leaving with a polite curtsy. She left the infirmary feeling confused: why was the nurse so nervous?

* * *

"Madame Morrible?"

Morrible looked up from her papers, the candle giving her face an eerie-looking glow. The speaker was a nurse from the infirmary. "Yes?"

"I thought you should know," the nurse began nervously. "There's been two different students brought to the infirmary today; one at two, the other just an hour ago… we can't identify the source of their ailments," she admitted angrily. "However, they both seem to have the same symptoms- fainting, a high fever, and a state of delirium when they do awake. It seems mild enough right now, but… we're worried it could be a magically-induced sickness."

Morrible stood up sharply. "What are you suggesting?"

"N- n- nothing, Madame," the nurse stuttered. "We were simply wondering if you had any enemies that might be capable of this."

Morrible pretended to look thoughtful. "I'll think on that subject a bit more and let you know if I come up with anything."

The nurse nodded. "Of course."

She then turned to exit when Morrible stopped her. "You'll let me know if their condition changes?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Of course, Madame."

When the door shut, Morrible's eyes glinted as a dangerous smile lit up her face. "Excellent. It has begun."


	2. Under the Surface

**A/N:** Alrities. I'm a bad girl, working on this rather than Finale. Oh well. My sister's been bugging me incessantly, so here's the result. Not as good as I'd have hoped, but so far, every single section in chapter 1 and this one has a point :). And yeah, the ending's a bit clichéd, but whatever.  
Thanks to those who reviewed/alerted last chapter! Reviews are always greatly appreciated; I want to know what you all think of it so far.  
Oh, and yeah. Nikidik's in here. I couldn't resist. And he's Life Sciences. So sue me :P.

Disclaimer: It's not mine. Sadly.

* * *

**Under the Surface**

"And through these examples, one can see…" Dr. Nikidik's voice floated through the classroom, hardly registering in the ears of unresponsive students.

It had been a week since Dr. Dillamond's removal. A week had passed without any Animals on staff, a week since Elphaba had received and refused her letter, and almost a week since the sickness started.

Four students were in critical condition and seven more ill with the mysterious disease. However, the real threat, it seemed, was pandemonium and panic; every time someone shivered or coughed, they were avoided as if they were poisonous.

This illness had everyone acting strangely; even Glinda, it seemed, was not immune to its altering tendency. The blonde, who tended to stare off into space (namely the space near one Fiyero Tiggular) during class, was now staring at Nikidik, transfixed.

The professor must have realised as well, for he said, "Miss Glinda? Did you have a question?"

The girl jumped a bit as he addressed her. "Um… yes."

Elphaba's head lifted just a tad bit, and she realised she wasn't the only one. The entire class seemed to have been lifted from a spell, and were now blinking confusedly in Glinda's direction.

"I was wondering… you _are_ the Life Sciences professor, so surely…" Glinda was babbling nervously. She finally spat out her point when Nikidik set his pointy glare towards her. "Um… would you tell us– er, me– how magically-induced illnesses come about… and are spread?"

There was a sudden spark of attentiveness in the classroom as every head in the classroom turned to stare at Nikidik, hungry for an answer.

"Miss Glinda, magic has no basis in science and consequently…" his voice trailed off as he stared about his classroom confusedly. No class had ever given this much attention to anything he said. It was obviously disconcerting, for he stuttered, changing his mind abruptly as he gave in. "Oh, alright."

He cleared his throat and said, "I don't pretend to be an expert at knowing how either magic or diseases work, even less so of a combination of the two. However, I do know a small amount, so…" he trailed off, looking at the eager students tentatively. He sighed as he continued, "When one uses magic to spread a disease, I _believe_ it is of two ways: directly, targeted at one person specifically, or indirectly, not targeting one particular being." Cautiously, he said, "Presumably, based on the number of victims thus far would suggest the latter of the two. However, as I said before, I don't pretend to be an expert."

Silence reigned after his pronouncement until Glinda, shivering, apprehensively broke it once more. "Professor… does that mean that this illness can make _anyone_ sick?"

The professor looked uneasy. "Theoretically, yes. Anyone could get sick at any moment. There's no protection from it unless we knew the spell it originated from."

The students looked on, horrified.

* * *

"_I_ think it's a load of-" Elphaba started with a derisive snort, but was cut off by a horrified screech.

"Elphie!" the source of the screech cried disbelievingly. "You were _there_ when the first one got sick! For Oz's sake, you _carried_ her to the _infirmary_!"

Elphaba rolled her eyes as she pulled an apple out of her knapsack. "Your point? The girl was sick, Glinda. That doesn't sanction the rumour that there's a doomsday disease going around the school. I feel fine." As if to prove her point, she chomped on her apple defiantly.

"'Course _she_ would," someone stage-whispered to her friend as they passed by. "The illness is magically-based. Everyone hates her, she's in sorcery… doesn't take a genius to put two together."

Elphaba whirled around to face the speaker, white with fury. "_What_?"

She was met with two identical smirks on indistinguishable faces as the girls pranced off.

"Elphie, let it go!" Glinda said, trying to be soothing but only succeeding in sounding affronted.

Elphaba's forearms were releasing sparks; her magic was out of control, she was so livid. "They actually think I'd-?!"

"Elphie! Calm down… you're only attracting attention to yourself," Glinda muttered. It was true; students all over the courtyard were staring at the two of them.

Elphaba tried to stop her hands from shaking, and upon failing, stormed out of the courtyard in a blaze of agitated skirts.

Fiyero approached Glinda, confused. "What was that all about?" he asked quietly, gazing at the area where Elphaba had angrily left.

"People being _brainless_," she spat scathingly towards the laughing students. She stormed off as irately as Elphaba had, leaving a stunned Fiyero in her wake.

* * *

Elphaba looked up from her annoyed pacing as Glinda burst into their dormitory a few minutes later. "Elphaba," the smaller girl said crossly, "you have got to learn how to control your temper."

Elphaba made a noise of disbelief. "Oh! That's rich. Who died and made you Hypocritical Monarch of All She Surveys?"

Glinda merely collapsed onto her bed without a retort, short of breath and flushed.

"All that excitement wear you out?" Elphaba said slightly mockingly.

Glinda coughed raggedly. "Not now, Elphie."

Giving up the disagreement for another time (for after all, it wasn't Glinda she was truly angry at), Elphaba started searching for the book she had been reading before they had left for class. It wasn't in the bookcase, and Elphaba's fevered search under the bed proved in vain. She turned to Glinda, asking, "Glinda, have you seen–?" Her question died on her lips as she saw her roommate had fainted. "_Glinda_!"

* * *

After a long while spent in the infirmary telling the nurse Glinda's symptoms, Elphaba had confirmed that yes, Glinda had caught the mysterious sickness that was spreading through Shiz like wildfire. Though she had protested stubbornly that she wanted to stay with Glinda for the night to make sure everything was alright, she was sent back to her dorm alone, for the infirmary was "quite full as it was without guests staying overnight", as the nurse had put it.

It was ironic: in the first few weeks of term, Elphaba had harboured a strong desire to have the dorm all to herself, for her blonde roommate had been quite annoying and intruding in her own way. Now, the dorm was empty, and she would give anything to have Glinda back in it, whining, flouncing about, or just… being Glinda. Anything to rid Elphaba of the haunting notion that something was going to go terribly wrong.

Needless to say, she didn't sleep well that night.

She woke up the next morning with the intention to go to breakfast first and then visit the infirmary. She hastily changed, ran a brush through her messy hair, not bothering to look in the mirror at her reflection, and plodded to the dining hall.

"Sweet Oz, Elphie, did you look in the mirror before you got up this morning?" a voice rang out as soon as she reached the table that the 'usual' group was seated at: Fiyero, Boq, Nessa … but not Glinda, she realised with a jolt, as if she had only just remembered where Glinda was. She'd have to tell them.

She looked up, startled. Boq was looking at her, half amused, half worried. She refrained from rolling her eyes and said as she sat down, "No, you imbecile. It'd be hard to look at a mirror _before_ I got up."

Fiyero snorted into his oatmeal and Nessa looked scandalised. Boq just blushed before clearing his throat and said, "Honestly, though, Elphie, you do look like you didn't get a wink of sleep last night…" he trailed off as he looked around quite belatedly. "Where's Miss Glinda?"

"Honestly, Boq, you can call the rest of us by our names without the honorific, can't you do the same with her?" Fiyero asked exasperatedly.

Before the two could start debating about 'politically correct' terms and the likes, Elphaba murmured, "Glinda's in the infirmary."

That stopped the arguing. "What's she doing in there?" Fiyero asked nervously while Boq just gaped.

"She's sick," Elphaba said softly, refusing to meet their eyes.

Silence reigned for a few moments before Nessa broke it, saying sorrowfully, "Glinda-"

"- will be _fine_," Fiyero interjected firmly.

Boq looked extremely uncomfortable at the long pause in conversation. He stood up and said, "I'm going to the infirmary to check on her."

"Boq, that's really not necessary, I'm pretty sure nothing's changed over the past few-" Elphaba started, but Boq cut her off.

"I insist," he said softly, before giving them a curt bow and striding out of the cafeteria.

Nessa veered her wheelchair away from the table a bit, calling, "Boq?" However, her calls did nothing to slow the Munchkin as he left.

"Nessa, let him go," Elphaba said comfortingly, but her sister shook her head, following Boq out the door. "Does no one want to listen to me today?" she muttered to herself. She looked over to see Fiyero hesitantly smiling. "What?" she grumbled, mildly irritated.

"Nothing," he muttered, his grin immediately disappearing.

She picked up a piece of toast and buttered it, looking around. There were a lot of students missing, she realised. Just how many were sick? When her gaze met Fiyero's, she noticed he was watching her. "What?" she asked yet again, her irritation rising.

He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Nothing, I swear." A glimmer of a smile reappeared on his face, though she couldn't fathom why, before disappearing completely. He then continued, "Are you alright, really? You truly don't look like you slept well."

"I'm a big girl; I can sleep perfectly well without my roommate for one night," she said defensively, her cheeks flushing with the knowledge that she had, in fact, not slept well at all.

He looked at her disbelievingly, but with no pity; if there had been pity, she would have hated him for it. "If you say so." He paused, and then continued in a softer voice, "It's perfectly normal to be worried about her, Elphaba."

It seemed he saw through her façades as she did his. She hated that. "I know," she murmured, picking at her toast idly.

They sat in silence for a few more moments until Fiyero stood up, clearing his throat uncomfortably. He was blushing for some reason unknown to Elphaba, but before he left, he gripped her shoulder in a comforting manner and said, "Glinda's going to be fine, Elphie. Don't worry."

She raised her eyebrow the tiniest bit at his usage of Glinda's nickname for her, but let it pass with a nod. Fiyero left the table, leaving her to eat her breakfast in solitude.

* * *

Elphaba found herself wandering towards sorcery class after breakfast on impulse before realising it was to little effect: there was no point in going if one of the two students attending was absent. With a sigh, she readjusted her bags and quickened her pace to Morrible's office.

"Madame Morrible?" Elphaba called politely as she knocked on the majestic doors of Morrible's extravagant office.

"Oh, Miss Elphaba. You're a few minutes late," Morrible said, seemingly out of breath and flustered.

Elphaba stepped in the doorway apprehensively. "Actually, Madame, that's what I came to talk to you about. See, Glinda's in the infirmary; she came down with the sickness. I'm sincerely sorry, Madame, but I don't see the point in coming to the seminars until she gets better; she'll have to catch up anyway, and it'd just be easier on all of us."

Morrible pursed her lips for a fragment of a second before plastering a sympathetic smile on her wizened face. "I see. That's perfectly fine, dear. I'm so _terribly_ sorry to hear about poor Miss Glinda- best wishes to her."

Elphaba curtsied and replied, "I shall, thank you, Madame," before leaving the room.

"This won't do," Morrible said irately to the empty room. She picked up a piece of parchment and started another letter; a change in plans was needed, it seemed.

* * *

The hour that was now freed by the lack of sorcery seminars was dragging by slowly. Elphaba found herself wandering the halls once more, not sure of what to do with the sudden free time- her next class wasn't for another two hours; more and more classes were being cancelled as an increasing number of students became ill.

Elphaba strode past the history department without a backwards glance, ignoring the bile that still rose in her throat at the reminder of Dillamond's removal. Walking as if in autopilot, knowing where she was headed before actually knowing, she found herself outside the infirmary in no time; perhaps her conscience felt guilt in knowing that she had not yet taken it upon herself to visit her roommate.

The infirmary had taken on an eerie, almost overly-palpable silence broken only by the occasional cries of a delusional patient. There were now… almost two dozen ill? How had the number increased by so many in such a short period of time? She walked by the tomblike hush of the victims' beds, peering for a shock of blonde hair in the sea of sick similarity. She hadn't seen the girl yet, and there were two beds with the curtains drawn around them. Should she risk opening them, disturbing the patients' privacy? Was this really all that important? A whimper from someone in the bed behind her made up her mind: she wouldn't let Glinda go through this on her own.

She opened the curtains hesitantly to find a body outlined in the sheets that covered it. More out of curiosity than hope to find her roommate, Elphaba peeled back a layer of sheets. A rotten stench reached her nose and she choked back a sudden surge of vomit as she realised the body was just that: they were dead. She stumbled back out of the curtains once more, shock and disbelief overwhelming her. Dead. This disease was fatal. An overpowering sense of urgency took over her then: she had to find Glinda, alleviate the feeling of unavoidable dread that was coming over her.

Whether it was the nauseating reek of death now seemingly permanently imprinted in her nose or the sudden rush of adrenaline complementing her heightened fear, Elphaba found Glinda a few clock-ticks later without any difficulty. Irony, she mused, was a strange thing.

The blonde was apparently asleep in her cot, but it was a restless one: the only word Elphaba could find to describe her motions was convulsing. She was constantly moving, murmuring phrases in sleepy breaths. Elphaba apprehensively approached the side of the bed and whispered, "Glinda?"

The spoken word surely acted as a catalyst, for Glinda shot bolt upright, sweating and breathing heavily. Her eyes were fixed on a far-off point and her face had morphed into a look of pure terror. Suddenly she shrieked, "Elphie!"

All thoughts of hesitation fled as Elphaba clutched her roommate's hand. "Glinda, what is it?" she asked rather pointlessly, feeling horror well up in the pit of her stomach at Glinda's state.

Contrary to what Elphaba had expected, Glinda snapped her head towards her roommate and cried, "Elphie, they're coming for you!" Relief and anticipation now mingled with the fear on her face, creating a complicated expression Elphaba couldn't have fathomed Glinda could take on.

Feeling thoroughly confused and only increasingly frightened at her friend's antics, Elphaba tried to calm her down. "Who's coming for me? Why?" Though her tone was forcefully calm, she internally panicked as she realised Glinda was hallucinating. Surely that wasn't a good sign.

Glinda now looked annoyed and slightly baffled. "The Witch Hunters," she said assertively, as if questioning Elphaba's ignorance with the precarious situation.

A chill ran down Elphaba's spine. _Witch Hunters_? She remained silent as Glinda continued prattling on. "Elphie, just let the poor little girl go," her friend stated exasperatedly.

Another shiver ran down her spine. "Little girl, Glinda?" she asked in a whisper. What were these hallucinations that Glinda was having?

Unfortunately, she wouldn't get the chance to find out. For some reason unbeknownst to Elphaba, Glinda started shouting loudly, panic written all over her face. A nurse was by the bed in a flash, trying to calm the girl down. "Go," she said sharply to Elphaba. "Your presence is obviously not helping things."

Without another word, Elphaba fairly _ran_ from the infirmary. _What the hell just happened_, she thought frantically, leaning against a wall to compose her thoughts.

This was definitely not good.


	3. Bridges You Cross

**A/N:** -nervous laughter- Yeah. Basically. I tried uploading this yesterday, but FFN was acting dumb D:. So blame them for not having it a day early.

Also: a huge thanks to my new beta, Cassandra :D. You've been really great so far.

So hopefully chapter four won't take so long to write. Anyway. Enjoy :).

* * *

**Bridges You Cross**

A hazy sheen of mist swirled around a mob of strangely-dressed Ozians with distorted expressions of violence on their faces. Whether it was the unfamiliarity of the circumstances, the mist, or the sheer ridiculousness of the mob's cries, the whole situation seemed ethereal and improbable.

Elphaba found herself suddenly on a podium in front of the crowd accompanied by an extravagantly-clothed Glinda. The crowd surged, raising… pitchforks… and various other crude weapons, yelling, "Get the Witch!" Elphaba looked confusedly at Glinda, who merely smiled pacifically at the crowd before privately motioning her friend to go.

Elphaba lifted up unexpectedly heavy skirts and ran into the forest behind them, the hat that Glinda- well, G_a_linda- had given her before the party at the Ozdust toppling off her head. Startled, she picked it up, only to have the mob surround her, yelling indistinguishably before… vanishing completely.

A little girl with indistinct features suddenly appeared in their wake. Eyebrows knotting over blank eyes, she opened her mouth to speak; however, when she did, Nessa's voice came out. "Let me go, Elphie," the girl said in an eerily calm tone before conjuring a bucket of water out of thin air and promptly dumping it over Elphaba's head.

Elphaba awoke with a start, lungs gasping for air, heart beating erratically, and mind unnaturally blank. _It was a nightmare_, she thought relievedly, running her hands through her sweat-soaked hair. _A strange nightmare, but a nightmare all the same_.

It had been three days since her peculiar encounter with Glinda in the infirmary, and things had only gone downhill since then. With still no indication as to what her roommate had been babbling about, Elphaba's imagination had filled in some blanks, resulting in haunting daydreams and nightmares. Most classes had been cancelled, as the number of students ill was only increasing.

Feeling powerless and puzzled, Elphaba left her dormitory, heading down to the cafeteria for an early breakfast: the sun had barely risen. However, as she passed Madame Morrible's quarters, she paused, debating over whether or not she should see how Nessarose was doing- she hadn't spoken to her sister in days. Habit won out as she reservedly decided to check up on Nessa. She only hesitated a moment before knocking on the grand doors, hoping a maid would answer instead of Madame Morrible; she didn't particularly want to talk to her headmistress at the moment.

To Elphaba's dismay, the door opened to reveal Morrible's wizened face. "Oh, Miss Elphaba!" the woman cackled gleefully. "How wonderful, just the person I wanted to see."

Elphaba tried to resist the instinct to grimace and forced a smile on her face. "Madame, I'm dreadfully sorry, but can it wait? I have to speak to my sister regarding something."

Morrible's face immediately darkened, but she nodded all the same. "Of course, dear. She'll be in her room."

"Thank you, Madame," Elphaba said with a short curtsy. She then navigated herself past a few rooms and found Nessa's makeshift dormitory. Three knocks and a soft "come in" from the other side of the door found Elphaba standing in front of her sister, who was gussying herself up for some reason unbeknownst to Elphaba.

"Elphaba," Nessa said, surprised when her sister entered the room. "Well, this is the first time I've seen you in a while- you've been hiding in your dormitory for ages." She patted a bit of makeup on her cheeks in the silence and then continued with her inspection. "You have been feeling alright, correct? Father'd be quite displeased if you got sick."

Elphaba found her voice at last. "The only thing he'd worry about is whether or not he had to pay the infirmary a bill," she retorted, moving towards her sister. With an afterthought, she added, "Well, that and whether or not someone'd be there to take care of you."

Nessa turned from the mirror to scoff at her sister. "It's good to see you too," she replied with the slightest dusting of sarcasm.

"Why are you getting all dressed up?" Elphaba asked, staring at the makeup products in distaste. Nessa's vanity dresser had become a toned-down version of Glinda's- quite a large feat, as both Thropp sisters usually had no interest in cosmetics.

Nessa seemed to avoid the question, asking instead, "How's Glinda?" Her hands stopped moving as her voice became downcast. "Boq's been visiting her a lot recently, so I'd hoped she was getting better." Her voice took on a forced cheerfulness as she murmured mostly to herself, "He really cares for her."

Resisting the temptation to bury her face in her hands, Elphaba forced a smile on her face. "She's a little better, you know."

Nessa looked up from her dresser, looking truly interested. "That's good news. Have her hallucinations stopped?"

A shiver ran down Elphaba's spine as she remembered Glinda's last episode. "No," she said softly. "No, not yet."

"She'll be fine, Fabala. Really." Nessa smiled then, an innocent, real smile.

Elphaba smiled as well, focusing her gaze on the scarves Nessa had draped around the room instead. "Yeah," she mumbled. Suddenly changing the subject, she asked, "Do you have any classes?"

"Nope," her sister replied cheerfully- too cheerfully. "Honestly," she continued, "people just get sick a lot more often. This is wonderful, having a little holiday in the middle of term for no reason."

Elphaba looked at her incredulously. "No reason? Nessa, people are sick. People have _died_. …All you can think about is the fact that you have no classes? Are you really that self-centred?"

Nessa blinked owlishly at her sister's accusations. "I just think it's nice to have a little bit of down time every once in a while."

"Down time? Nessa!"

"Well, it's not my fault I'm not sick like they are!" Nessa said defensively, beginning to put her makeup away.

Elphaba threw her hands up in the air, feeling her anger rising. "It's not their fault either! It's a _spell_, Nessa. _Anyone_ could get sick. This isn't a game or holiday- it's real, and people are _dead_. Do you not understand that?"

"Have you seen Boq?"

Elphaba, already fed up with Nessa's impertinence and narcissism, snapped and said, "Why in Oz would you care where Boq is?"

Nessa cocked her head and folded her hands in her lap, the perfect picture of primness. "We're dating, Elphaba, or had you forgotten?" she said sweetly, and for a moment Elphaba wondered when her sister had grown from dependent to insolent.

"Nessa, forget it, okay?" she said angrily, in no mood to play the whole 'Boq really likes Nessa and didn't just ask her out to please Glinda' game.

Nessa ignored her. "He's probably off visiting Glinda again." She started to wheel herself to the other side of the room.

Well, two could play that game. "Oh, I'm glad you finally realised it."

"What do you mean?" Nessa's voice wavered with apprehension as the truth began to set in.

Elphaba sighed, feeling her irritation dissipate at the same rate as Nessa's confusion was growing. Her sister may be frustrating and, at times, completely selfish but she didn't deserve to be lied to. "Boq. He's completely infatuated with Glinda, Nessa. Surely you'd have noticed something by now?"

Nessa looked away and after a long pause she said in a harsh whisper, "I'm so stupid." Elphaba could've sworn she heard a sniffle.

"No, Nessa, you're not stupid," Elphaba said in what she hoped was a consoling tone.

Nessa whirled around to face her sister then, self-loathing, foolishness, and the same childish, naïve expression she always seemed to possess written all over her face. Yet, in some way, Elphaba mused, Nessa seemed older. Perhaps their mutual rejections had made the two sisters more alike than either one of them could have fathomed. "No, I really am," she said in a nostalgic, bitter way that ironically reminded Elphaba of herself. "I'm stupid for believing that Boq couldn't hurt me. He wouldn't, not purposefully at least, he's too noble and old-fashioned in that sense to do something like that… but he could." Her voice quieted as she realised that it had already happened. "He did."

Elphaba crouched at the side of her sister's wheelchair, absently stroking the embroidered straps of leather that served as arm rests, pondering what to say next. "I'm sorry, Nessa. Really, I am." There was a long moment of silence before she broke it again, standing up as she said, "Maybe I shouldn't have told you-"

"No, it's better this way," Nessa said with an air of finality, forcing a detached, half-hearted smile on her face before wheeling her chair around Elphaba, heading for the door. She turned to face her sister, saying in an agitated voice, "I'm tired of people coddling me because they think I can't handle the truth." She turned towards the door once more and whispered, "I _can_."

Elphaba watched with light surprise and heavy guilt as her sister left. She had been so selfish lately, more worried about whether or not the Wizard would want to see her (or if _she'd _even want to see him), if Fiyero cared about her (how ridiculous that seemed now), and- Oz forbid- her Galindafication, rather than worrying about her sister.

When had she started caring more about herself than her sister? What had she become?

Her mind was hazy as she stumbled back to the lavish corridor that connected Nessa's room with Madame Morrible's offices. She felt guilty, hoping she had done the right thing despite her questionable intentions for doing so. Nessa was just overreacting… right?

Her echoing footsteps must have caught Madame Morrible's attention from one of her offices nearby, for the headmistress appeared suddenly in a whirl of robes and powder. "Ah, Miss Elphaba. Did you find your sister?" Her voice was sickeningly sweet and reminded Elphaba of the kind of stomachache one gets after eating too much marzipan or similar sugary confections.

Elphaba plastered an equally syrupy smile on her face, pondering all the while when her headmistress had gone from revered to detested. Nothing really had changed… _except your personality and your sudden friendship with Glinda_, a voice told her, a nasty tone underlying its words. "Yes, Madame," she replied, bobbing her head.

"Good, good. I trust you are free to talk with me now, then?" One heavily pencilled eyebrow was cocked expectantly, an odd expression on the aged woman. It made her seem… eerily unnatural.

Elphaba bit back a sigh and nodded again. "Of course, Madame." The green teenager reluctantly followed Morrible into her office where the latter offered the former a chair and a glass of pomegranate juice. Elphaba declined politely, instead getting to the crux of the matter: "Madame Morrible, what was it that you wanted to talk me about?"

Morrible leaned back in her chair as if contemplating how to word her thoughts. She finally pulled an envelope out of her desk drawer- a very familiar, _emerald_ envelope. Morrible didn't miss Elphaba's eyebrows shooting up. "Yes," she said with a heavy melodramatic tone to her voice, "The Wizard was very disappointed to hear that you rejected his invitation to see him in the Emerald City. Given the circumstances, however, he understands your hesitance and extends his invitation once more." There was a long pause as she gave her student a long, pointed look. "Miss Elphaba, I wouldn't expect this opportunity to arise again."

Elphaba looked at the green envelope with a mingled sense of dread and longing. She felt as if she were the first emerald envelope, torn in half and discarded. She couldn't leave. Not now. She wasn't any surer of herself than a few weeks ago… if anything, she was less sure. And there was no way she'd leave her only friend here to cope with this horrifying illness alone. No. Though her resolve was wavering, she'd have to stand through this decision, no matter how tempting the alternate was. She shook her head slowly. "I can't, Madame."

Madame Morrible let out a frustrated sigh, massaging the bridge of her nose with her empty hand while her other hand clenched the letter in displeasure. "Miss Elphaba, may I ask, if only one last time, why someone so gifted, someone who used to be so _eager_ to meet the Wizard, would turn down this opportunity… twice?" A forced, painful-looking simper appeared on her face, as if in an effort to hide her irritation.

Elphaba forced a half-hearted smile, no longer as distressed over her decision for some inexplicable reason. "Actually, Madame, it's for more or less the same reasons I gave you before. I don't think I'd be ready to meet the Wizard-" Madame Morrible tried to interrupt, but Elphaba continued, taking no heed of her efforts- "not necessarily magically, though I believe I haven't been practicing enough, but… Madame, you know I tend to act irrationally sometimes. I wouldn't want it to be in front of the Wizard."

Morrible looked at Elphaba then, a long calculating look that sent uncomfortable chills down Elphaba's spine. Before Morrible could conclude too much, she decided to intervene a bit more. "And I couldn't possibly leave now. Not while this sickness is going on…" She straightened up, bowed her head again, and continued. "Thank you, Madame. Really, I appreciate you trying to get him to see me, I do. But… I can't." Flushed with embarrassment for some reason unknown to her, she fled the room without another word.

Madame Morrible looked at the door distastefully. This was certainly not good.

Something had to be done about that girl's attachments.

* * *

"You did _what_?"

When an Ozian would describe the Wizard (though precious few had really seen him), the words that came to mind most often were generous, caring, gentle, and, well, wonderful. One wouldn't expect loud, scheming, and livid to be on the list as well. However, those were the only words Madame Morrible could find to describe the normally reserved Wizard of Oz.

Morrible stammered for a few moments, attempting to find the words. "I did as you asked, your Ozness."

The small man in an oil-slicked lab coat stopped stalked the room and turned to the headmistress, cocking an eyebrow. "You did as I asked? No. I asked you to be positioned at that school of yours and find me a Vizier!"

"I did, your Ozness-"

"No, you didn't. You talked of a girl who you said had more power than I could've hoped for. You said she would help bring Oz back to its glory of olden days. You said she would help me be the _wonderful_ Wizard the Ozians think I am!" He paused, staring at the woman for a few moments before continuing smarmily, "And all I get are failed promises." There was a long pause before he laughed bitterly, as if suddenly remembering she had done something else. "Oh, and an outbreak of plague on Shiz University! Tell me, dear Madame, what in Oz you were thinking."

She stomped a pointed shoe down on the marble floor as if to emphasise her frustration. "I was trying to get Elphaba Thropp to do as you pleased and come here," she hissed through clenched teeth.

The Wizard laughed again. "I see. And setting a plague on your students would help convince her to meet me. Madame, your thinking is impeccable!"

Angrily, she snapped. "I didn't _mean_ to create an epidemic, fool!" A few moments passed, during which she remembered her place and his, for she added in a quieter, more respectful tone, "_Sir_." When the man in front of her showed no sign of a will to respond, she sighed. "Miss Elphaba didn't want to come, so I asked myself- why a sudden change of heart? It obviously wasn't a questioning of her magical ability: she was certainly keen enough to go even before I had helped train her. So, naturally, something or someone was keeping her at Shiz. I wanted to find out what it was."

Impatient, the Wizard interrupted her once more. "Madame, I still don't see how casting a plague, whether it was your intent to do so or not, would help … convince Miss Thropp to come to the Emerald City."

"I'm getting to there, _sir_," Morrible barked, hissing the last syllable like a curse. She started stalking the overly-extravagant emerald-decked throne room, her heels clacking loudly. "I intended to cast a spell on the people closest to our Miss Elphaba, but curses have never been my strong point… weather's much easier for me to connect with. Everyone has their strengths, and curses aren't mine. Needless to say, anyway, it didn't end up right. Instead of affecting the people closest to Miss Elphaba, I _believe_ it affected the people closest to her physically at the time I cast it…. However, I don't know what the spell's doing now."

"So you're saying you don't know what the spell is, why it's doing what it's doing, or how to control it?" A feather-light lining of worry tinged the dry voice of Oz's leader.

Morrible threw her hands up in the air in frustration, her steps growing quicker as her agitation increased. "I could probably figure it out."

"Madame…?"

The title said with such precaution and meticulousness startled her enough to stop pacing and face the man. "Yes, your Ozness?"

"Figure it out, cure the students… and convince Miss Thropp to change her mind." He folded his hands and smiled, an emotion that didn't quite meet his eyes.

Morrible shivered and nodded. "Yes, your Ozness."

* * *

So I've decided to respond to reviews cause you all are cool like that :o.

**Aravilui: **Yes, that counts . Although your crack comment still scares me.

**X-Kate-X: **Wow, thanks so much :D. You have no idea how nice it is to hear that from someone who isn't obligated to say so.

**WickedJelly: **Weeeell, I haven't been updating either much recently, have I D:? I promise I'll work on it xD.

And I have no comment for superawesomewriterperson and Solarity. You people are weird xD.


	4. Making Good

**A/N:** I apologise for the wait, as usual xD. Hopefully I'll break this habit soon, but no guarantees, as exams and crap are coming up soon.  
This chapter's dedicated to all you lovely reviewers who make writing worthwhile. -end sappiness-.

Oh, also, depending on which route I want to take (I have a definite story line in mind, but I can either end it very soon or later) the story's either halfway over or close to it orrrr it'll be quite long. Depends.  
Oh, and random fact: this chapter's exactly the same length as last chapter. 2929 words.

* * *

**Making Good**

Three rapid knocks sounded at the door. Surprised, Elphaba looked up from the book she was reading. Who would possibly be calling this early in the morning? Nessa couldn't have climbed the stairs up to the dormitories by herself; even if so, she had been avoiding Elphaba for the past few days, perhaps out of embarrassment. And as far as she knew, Glinda was still ill and was showing no signs of improvement…. There was no one else she could think of that could be looking for her.

Those thoughts in mind, she closed her book, marking the page she stopped at, and crawled to the door. Madame Morrible's face, now horribly familiar, simpered back at her. "Miss Elphaba. Do you have any important appointments you need to attend to at the moment?"

Elphaba blinked, confused. What would Morrible want to talk to her about? Surely she'd have given up on the Wizard situation already and they had both already agreed it was best not to continue practicing sorcery until Glinda recovered. "No, Madame," she replied slowly.

"Good," Morrible said, her grin stretching. "Would you care to accompany me to the infirmary, then?"

Startled, Elphaba immediately began to worry. "Of course, Madame," she quickly responded, exiting her dormitory and closing the door behind her. "Is anything wrong?"

Morrible gave a short bark of laughter. "Oh, no, nothing more than the usual, don't you fret, dearie. I'll explain on the way over."

Elphaba fell into step with her headmistress, their pace swift and sure as they headed out the girls' dormitories.

"Now, as I'm sure you know by now, none of the victims of this horrendible disease are showing any signs of recovery thus far," Madame Morrible started, a long-suffering expression pasted on her face. "And I appreciate your concern for Miss Glinda's wellbeing should she wake up-"

"When," Elphaba interrupted quietly.

Morrible stopped walking as she tried to grasp what the girl had said. "Excuse me? I didn't quite catch that."

Elphaba flushed. "You said 'should she wake up'. I just think 'when she wakes up' would be more… appropriate," she stammered through her embarrassment.

"Oh. Yes, of course," Morrible said, reddening as she brushed the slip off and continued walking. "Anyhow, we must accept the fact that Miss Glinda might not get better. At least not right away," she added hastily. "We need to address the issue that you need to continue training your sorcery abilities. So, I decided that while I was going down to the infirmary to see if I could do anything about those sick, you could join me. Perhaps, together, we could find a cure."

Now it was Elphaba who stopped mid-step, gazing at Morrible in wonderment. "I could help _cure _them?"

Morrible grinned. "You'd certainly be making good if you could, my dear."

Elphaba began walking faster, now in even more of a hurry to get to the infirmary. Finally, if something _good_ could happen, maybe these magical powers wouldn't be such a curse after all. Maybe she could finally make her father proud.

Maybe she could finally be proud of herself.

Her anticipation seemed to grow with each step; the closer they found themselves to the infirmary, the harder it became to restrain herself from breaking out into a full-on run. _Why was she taking so long? Each second was precious time they were wasting._

However, the student and her headmistress finally approached the ominous double doors that signified the entrance to the hospital ward. "Madame," Elphaba asked, turning to the older woman, "who are we going to try healing first?"

"Miss Upland," Morrible replied simply.

Elphaba let out a relieved sigh. Though she wasn't one to complain- well, she wasn't one to complain when things were going her way, at least- she was curious as to Morrible's logic.

Before Elphaba even had the time to formulate her thoughts in a way that wouldn't insult her headmistress, Morrible seemed to answer her unasked questions. "If y- we should succeed, if Miss Glinda improves, and if she should be up to it, she could aid us in healing the ill."

Elphaba didn't miss the quickly-covered word that nearly slipped from Morrible's lips. Did she expect Elphaba to do this solo? Oh well- that didn't particularly matter right now. She set her jaw in a determined line and pushed the doors open, heading straight for Glinda's cot. Once she reached her feverish roommate, however, she found she had absolutely no idea as to what she was supposed to do. She looked to Morrible, feeling foolish. "Madame, how am I supposed to do this?"

Morrible smiled toothily. "Take Miss Glinda's hand in yours and try to clear your thoughts."

Elphaba nodded as she dragged a chair to the side of Glinda's cot. With a heavy sigh, she clasped Glinda's clammy hand and joined their fingers, wrapping her free hand around their intertwined hands. She sighed before settling into the chair as comfortably as she could, closing her eyes in an attempt to block off the sounds and sights of her surroundings.

"Just focus." Morrible's voice was too shrill, too invading. Elphaba tried to force it out of her mind, instead focusing on the sound of her pounding heartbeat. There, that was a cry from a nearby hallucinating patient. This was too hard; everything was so loud, so distracting.

A pitiful whimper from the unconscious Glinda set Elphaba's determination in place. Slowly, she sighed and tried again. _Breathe in… two, three, four, five, six, seven. Hold… two, three, four, five, six, seven. Breathe out… two, three, four, five, six, seven._ Could anyone else hear her heartbeat? Surely it sounded like Elephants thundering to someone else besides her. _In… two, three, four, five, six, seven. Hold… two, three, four, five, six, seven. Out… two, three, four, five, six, seven…. _

After what seemed like eons, Elphaba found herself in a dead silence broken only by her own roaring heart and rattling breath. Without opening her eyes, fearing it would break her sudden concentration, she attempted to "look" at the magical connection that had been established through her meditation.

She couldn't see anything… only darkness.

* * *

The next time Elphaba opened her eyes, the infirmary was gleaming with what was left of the setting sun's light. Groggily, she tried to open her mouth to speak; only a hoarse croak emitted. She coughed raggedly, feeling as though someone had drugged and beaten her.

She must have been making some noise, though, for Madame Morrible soon appeared by the cot's side. "Oh, Miss Elphaba, you're awake!"

Elphaba winced. Her headmistress's voice was piercing enough without a splitting migraine. She began to speak again, only to have another rasp emit.

"Ah, of course." Without any explanation, Morrible disappeared, returning with a glass of iced tea. "Drink up, my dear."

After the tea was downed, Elphaba smiled half-heartedly and mumbled her thanks. "What happened?" she asked roughly.

Morrible smiled sympathetically (or that was only what Elphaba could assume; the woman's face looked distorted). "That always happens when one casts a rather large spell. And- I can only assume, as healing never has been my forte- I would think that using your powers to heal another human would only drain your strength even further."

Somehow, it wasn't surprising. Instead, Elphaba focused her attention to the still-unconscious Glinda. "It didn't work, did it?" It was more of an apologetic statement than a question.

"Oh, I wouldn't assume that," Morrible said, a shadow of doubt crossing her face only to be replaced by a smirk. "Healing spells always take a while to take effect. Of course," she continued melancholically, "this was only your first time trying a larger spell. There's a very good chance it didn't work. You did your best, dear."

Elphaba covered a grimace before thanking her headmistress. "It's obviously late," she explained, "so I'd best be getting back to my dormitory."

Morrible nodded. "Of course. Thank you, Miss Elphaba, for trying to help today."

The enunciation of 'trying' was more than infuriating. As Elphaba got to her feet, the whole room began to spin. Irritated, she clutched to the side of Glinda's bed until the spinning was reduced to a minimum. _Well_, she thought,_ this'll take me a while to get back to my dormitory_.

Unfortunately, the moment she made her way out of the infirmary, she was greeted with a sight that could only make the situation more aggravating: Fiyero. Elphaba cringed, hoping he didn't see her.

He did. "Haven't seen you in a while," he started amiably, before noticing the state she was in. "Lurline, are you alright, Elphaba?"

"Perfectly fine," she managed through gritted teeth. His concern was very… grating, for some reason.

His eyebrows furrowed. "You don't seem like it... What were you doing in the infirmary?"

She sighed. "I was trying to help cure Glinda."

"What?" Fiyero sputtered, obviously surprised. "You can heal people?"

Elphaba's irritation went up a notch. "Madame Morrible seems to think so," she said snappily as she tried to edge her way around him.

He noticed. "What are you doing?" he asked, a hint of worried amusement apparent in his voice.

"I'm _trying_ to get to my dormitory. And you're in the way, thank you very much," she crossly replied.

Fiyero didn't move. "And you think you can make it yourself?" he asked incredulously, ignoring her vehement reply. "Honestly, Elphaba, look at you: you can barely stand without swaying on the spot." Without another word, he placed a hand on her waist and attempted to help her stand straight.

She moved out of the way immediately. "What are you doing?" she snapped, trying to hide her furiously blushing cheeks.

He returned his hand to her waist and promptly said, "What does it look like? I'm trying to help you to your dormitory."

She swatted it away once more. "Trying would be the operative word," Elphaba said irritably. "Why?"

"Because we're friends." It was more of a question than a statement.

Momentarily distracted and flustered by the tone in which he was asking, she looked away. "I suppose, but still."

Fiyero used her temporary distraction to slip his hand around her waist once more despite her irritated remarks. "If you don't like it," he said lightly but with finality, "I could carry you instead."

She scoffed. "You most certainly will not." She didn't, however, try and shrug away when he placed his hand on her waist again as she began to move down the hallway. "Stubborn," she said, more exhausted than irritated now.

"Only when I must," he replied, grinning. They were moving a lot faster than expected, but with the movement came silence. So, Fiyero did what he usually did to break the silence: he asked the first thing that popped into his mind. "Have you ever had a boyfriend?"

Startled by the abrupt change in subject, Elphaba tried to whirl around to face him; however, it only resulted in making her even dizzier. After she had regained her balance, she tried to answer with what little composure she had left. "Why?"

It was Fiyero's turn to struggle to hide a small blush. "Sorry. No particular reason. I was just wondering what in the world you did when some poor boy decided he was going to try to carry your books in an attempt to impress you," he trailed off lamely, trying to cover his awkwardness with a very fake-sounding cough.

Elphaba forced a laugh. "Well, lucky for me, I've never had to determine a creative way of torturing said kind of poor boy. No sane boy would want to carry my books anyway," she joked with an inkling of self-loathing underlying her words.

"I believe you underestimate yourself, Miss Elphaba," Fiyero said with a smile. Sensing her discomfort, he changed the subject. "So do you think Glinda will be okay, then?"

She sighed and responded bitterly, "I honestly don't know. I've never healed anyone before and Morrible didn't help much."

Fiyero offered her a half-hearted smile. "Well, you did the best you could and I'm sure she'll appreciate it once she wakes up. No one was expecting anything of you."

"_I_ expected it of me," she said crossly. She unenthusiastically scuffed her foot on the ground, but her dizziness and unsteadiness caused her to trip.

Fiyero noticed her falling too late to catch her; Elphaba landed in a heap on the floor.

"Damn," she muttered embarrassedly.

He bit back a smile and helped her up. "Such ugly words from such a pretty mouth," he teased. Immediately he felt the air cool as she jerked away from him again irritably.

"Thank you for helping me to my dormitory, Master Fiyero, but I'm sure I can manage the last few feet alone," Elphaba said calmly, her voice carrying an eerie tinge of agitation.

"Master Fiyero?" he repeated, keeping his hold on her waist and shoulder steady. "Since when have you been one to use an honorific?"

She tried to escape his grasp but he instead questioned her again. "Elphaba, are you alright? Did I say something wrong?"

"I'm perfectly fine. Now if you would please let me go, I'm sure I could manage a few feet without assistance."

When he still didn't let go of her, she stomped on his foot crossly, causing him to release her in surprise. "For Lurline's sake, what's gotten into you?" he asked, irritation and confusion lacing his voice.

"Nothing," she muttered before marching the path to the dormitory quickly, albeit shakily, leaving an utterly and hopelessly perplexed Fiyero standing in the empty hallway behind her.

* * *

"Oh."

That was the only rational expression that came to the forefront of the Munchkin's mind when he entered the infirmary. He had been visiting Glinda religiously ever since she had fallen ill, and the day-to-day basis of the visits were continually the same: he would always bring some sort of gift, whether it be a book he thought she'd enjoy should she awake or a bunch of flowers like he currently held. She'd always be unconscious, though every once in a while, sporadic and violent hallucinations would cause the blonde to quiver in her comatose state. Every time he visited, there'd be someone else in a bed nearby but never any visitors; it seemed all of Shiz dreaded going near the ill for the fear that the disease was airborne. However, today was slightly different: Glinda's breaths were even and calm and she had a visitor: Fiyero.

"Sorry," Boq muttered quickly, face flushing a deep red. He turned to leave the infirmary, but suddenly remembered the flowers in his hand and awkwardly returned to Glinda's cot. He removed the old flowers from the vase, throwing them away in the nearby trashcan before placing the newer flowers in their place. There was another uncomfortable moment of silence between Fiyero and Boq before the latter said, "I'll just leave, then."

Fiyero grinned sheepishly and said, "No, stay." As if to demonstrate his certainty, he grabbed another seat from a few beds down and placed it beside his own. "Is it really that much of a shock that I'm here?"

"I- no, I mean- you- she-" It was apparent Boq was trying to say something but the general gist of the sentence was lost on Fiyero, who instead offered another awkward smile.

"Breathe, Boq; I'm not going to eat you."

Boq delicately sat down in the offered seat and silence reigned once more. After a few more moments of unbearable tension, the Munchkin decided uneasy conversation- anything, really- was better than this suffocating silence. "So, how many times have you actually been in here to see Glinda?" he managed to stammer out.

It was Fiyero's turn to blush. He grimaced and replied, "This is actually the first time I've been here. I don't know why I didn't come but after I ran into Elphaba yesterday and she told me everything that was going on, I decided it was probably for the better."

"What did Elphaba say?" Boq asked, intrigued as to what could entice the Winkie prince to visit an unconscious schoolgirl.

Fiyero looked up, startled. "Oh. She just said Morrible tried to help her heal Glinda or something. She was dead exhausted when I ran into her is all I know."

"Heal her?" Boq got to his feet, examining Glinda more carefully. "Did it work?" he asked hopefully.

"Your guess is as good as mine. You think it would've worked by now, though," Fiyero murmured, his voice trailing off.

They sat there lost in their idle discussion for a little while longer but Glinda showed no further signs of waking up. However, the sounds of a frustrated exchange a few metres away from Glinda's cot caused their conversation to lag for a few brief moments.

"It won't fit," one voice proclaimed crossly.

"Well," responded someone who sounded horribly like Madame Morrible, "pick her up out of her wheelchair, then. Oh for pity's sake, she's not made of glass; she won't break if you touch her."

Fiyero's gaze met Boq's at the same instance and their thoughts seemed to be reflecting one another's: _wheelchair_?

In response, a nurse walked past them a few moments later. She was carrying a seizing Nessarose, who looked oddly feeble without the structure of the wheelchair surrounding her as usual.

Boq stood up immediately, his face looking pale and discomforted. "Is she alright?" he asked the nurse, knowing the answer already.

"No," she replied curtly, drawing the curtain around the cot and effectively shutting Nessa out of sight.

* * *

Kay, once more, review replies :o.

**X-Kate-X:** Wow xD. I'm terribly sorry you had to read it again D:. And putting it on alert too, how horrible for you and me.  
Thanks for notifying me about the sarcasm, by the way; I never would have guessed it. Sarcasm eludes me most of the time. As you can obviously see.

**OMG it's WickedJelly:** Lovely screenname change, by the way; forgot to mention it. I should so change my penname to "Meltalviel Never Updates". But anyway. You already know your reviews make me laugh, so let's not go over that again :). Hopefully this chapter's review shall as well -hint, hint?- :D.

**Sparkling Patronus:** Welllll. Glinda or Fiyero won't die, but I shan't say anything else. The hallucinations will tie in later, though, especially should I decide not to be lazy and go the long route.

**Dyani:** Have I mentioned I love you? ;-;. Your reviews make me feel special. ...Well, more special than I already am.

**justcallmeelphie:** Well. I kinda did something like that up here? I already had that planned, but you should feel special for suggesting it :).

Special thanks to all of you and to **Niagra Falling** (Didn't email you this one, it's been so long o.o. Should I keep emailing you, by the way?), **Solarity**, **LostOzian** and all you special people who read and didn't review :). So pah you don't get yer name on here in **bold**. Now what.

_Happy early birthday to meeee. If you want to make me happy, review please :D._


	5. Wishing Only

**A/N: **I'm sorry it's been so long ;-;. This chapter's probably my least favourite so far, but it had to happen. And it's the second shortest so farrr. My favourite scene in here was one I've been waiting to write for so long and somehow it didn't sound as good written down as it did in my head. Oh well. Plus it's a bit OOC.

The ending kinda wrote itself, I'm warning you.

* * *

**Wishing Only...**

_Dear Father,_

_Nessa's sick. There's an illness going around Shiz and apparently she's caught it as well. I thought you might want to know-_

No. That wasn't right. Elphaba crumpled up the piece of paper and threw it in the trashcan, adding to the several other failed attempts at started letters and tried again.

_Father:_

_I don't know whether Nessa has been writing you or not, but if she has, she may have mentioned that an illness of sorts has been going around the school. Anyway, Nessa's caught it and it looks serious. I thought you might want to know but-_

_My Dearest, Darlingest Father who loves me oh so much,_

She set the pen down and rubbed her temples with a sigh. Just the heading of that last one was dripping with more sarcasm than she'd ever dare use in a letter to her father- even if she was only writing this one on a whim.

The slight smirk that had appeared on her face for just a brief moment disappeared almost instantaneously. Both Glinda and Nessa were sick now: could this get any worse?

Yes, she thought immediately as if in response. Things could get worse… but they certainly could get better. Sighing again, Elphaba picked up the several pieces of crumpled parchment and discarded them in the nearly-overflowing wastebasket.

Why bother? Her father would find out eventually, she supposed. Giving up, she lied down on her bed, rummaging around in the nightstand next to her for the book she had been reading, and upon finding it, immersed herself in something other than illness and worry.

…Until there was a frenzied knock at the door. "Elphaba, open up!"

Groaning in irritation, Elphaba set her book on the nightstand once more and went to open the door, at which the same person was repeatedly knocking. She threw it open, revealing a frazzled Boq. "What is it?" she asked, obviously a bit irritable.

"It's Nessa," he said quickly.

She blanched. "What's wrong?" she asked in a whisper, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"She's dead."

* * *

"Elphaba, come out. Please."

There was a muffled "Why?" from the other side of the door.

Fiyero, who had spent the past fifteen minutes trying to coax her out of her dorm, sighed. "Elphaba, seriously. You can't shut yourself in there forever."

Even from the hall he heard her snort. "Watch me."

Rubbing the bridge of his nose, Fiyero mumbled, "Elphaba, I know you're upset, but at least come out? You've been in there for almost a day now, surely you're hungry." The lack of response encouraged him, so he continued, "Glinda's woken up, you know? Boq tried coming by here last night to tell you but you wouldn't listen to him."

There was a long silence on both sides of the door before he heard her say, "Alright. I'm coming out."

The small smile that had appeared on his face disappeared the moment Elphaba exited her dorm. She was, quite frankly, a mess. Her hair wasn't brushed, her dress was wrinkled, and her eyes were slightly swollen and pink. "Are you alright?" he asked gently.

"Perfectly fine," she muttered in reply, seemingly discomfited to be seen grieving. She started to brush past Fiyero but he grasped her shoulder.

"Hey," he said softly. "We're here for you, okay?"

"I'm fine," she repeated. She gathered her skirts and her remaining dignity and walked off towards the infirmary.

* * *

Glinda swallowed the vitamin offered to her by the nurse, resisting the urge to gag as something solid went down her throat for the first time in over a week. Which reminded her: "How in Oz have I remained hydrated and… stuff while I've been unconscious?" she asked as the nurse checked her pulse and temperature.

The nurse rubbed her eyes wearily. "We've had a few spells been cast on the patients every few hours or so."

"That must be exhausting," Glinda observed.

"Yes, well, a patient's life is more important than a few hours of sleep," the nurse replied with a grim, tight-lipped smile.

Glinda looked around for a long moment before saying quietly, "Yet I'm the only one who's woken up so far, aren't I?"

The nurse stopped rummaging around in the nightstand drawers long enough to murmur, "I'm afraid so." She stood up, smoothed her skirts, and said, "Well, Miss Upland, call out if you should need anything."

Glinda watched her walk off until another figure standing close by caught her eye. "Elphie?"

Elphaba rushed forward and enveloped her bedridden friend in a hug in an uncharacteristic display of emotion. "Oh, thank Oz you're alright," Elphaba murmured as she composed herself, sitting down in the chair next to the cot. "Believe me, you had us all really worried."

They sat, enjoying the comfortable silence that had fallen between them. Finally, Glinda noticed Elphaba looked exhausted and miserable. "What's happened while I've been unconscious?" she asked tentatively, gauging her friend's reaction.

Elphaba's sharp intake of breath told her enough. "No one's told you?"

Well, obviously it was something big. Glinda slowly shook her head. "No, I'm afraid not," she murmured.

"N- Nessa's dead," Elphaba whispered, her breath catching slightly.

An overwhelming sense of dread came over Glinda. This was _wrong_. She couldn't tell why exactly, but some part of her knew: this wasn't supposed to happen. "What? Oh, Elphie, I'm so sorry," she said, trying to sit up to console her friend.

"Yeah," Elphaba whispered. "So am I."

There was a long lull in the conversation, during which Glinda got the chance to examine Elphaba a little closer. _When was the last time she slept_? Glinda asked mentally, observing the severe circles under her friend's eyes.

Breaking the heavy silence, an indiscernible voice called out, "Dad!"

Glinda's head shot up. "Why would someone's father be here?" she wondered aloud.

"They wouldn't," Elphaba said darkly, fatigue lining her voice. "They're hallucinating."

"Hallucinating?" Glinda said with a flash of panic. "Did I hallucinate at all?"

Elphaba looked up at her and her eyes looked… older. Scared, even? No, not scared; Elphaba wouldn't be scared over something as trivial as hallucinations. "Yes. I suppose you don't remember then?" It was more of a statement than a question.

Glinda shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. Why?"

"Your hallucinations, or at least the part we could glean from them, were," she paused then, looking for the right word to say, "disturbing? No, just… very odd and confusing. You seemed like you were very troubled as well."

"I don't recall any of it," Glinda said, in a daze as she looked over at the hallucinating patient a few beds down. "What was I saying?"

"Something about a girl and Witch Hunters is all I remember-" Elphaba started, but was cut off when Glinda inhaled sharply. "What?" she asked anxiously. "Do you remember anything now?"

"No," she replied, honestly confused. "But that word- Witch. It triggered something, I don't know. Perhaps that's why I felt differently towards Morrible, Boq, and Fiyero."

Elphaba fought to keep her voice straight. "How do you mean?"

Her voice must have been strained, for Glinda gave her a strange look, but answered her all the same. "I don't know… When I first saw Morrible, I was afraid. And I've never been afraid of her before. But it was almost like I detested her to the point of fear. Or vice versa, I'm never good at figuring these things out. But why? She never gave me a reason to hate her."

Elphaba snorted. "She never gave anyone a reason to like her, either."

"Yes, well. And later last night, Fiyero and Boq came to see me, and it was so odd. I thought I'd be happy to see them, but I really wasn't. I can't explain it; it just feels like everything's changed cause of this illness."

"You can say that twice," Elphaba said as her gaze met the floor once more.

"Elphaba…" Glinda said softly, trying to coax her out of her shell and reveal more than she had about how she was feeling, but Elphaba would have none of it.

"So when do you think they'll let you out?" she asked, trying to divert Glinda's attention to somewhere other than Elphaba's well-being.

Glinda sighed, taking the bait apprehensively. "I don't know. Probably soon, though, as the nurses can't spare too much time on me. Do you realise how many people are sick?"

Elphaba nodded. "Yes, quite a bit, as I've seen. Hopefully since you woke up, though, Morrible can start to heal them all now that she knows what to do."

"I-" – Glinda tried and failed to stifle a huge yawn even though it was only midday – "Oh, pardon me. I hope so. All this disease stuff is very depressing."

Elphaba managed a small smile before saying, "Get some sleep."

"I've been sleeping for almost two weeks or so, Elphaba!"

"Exactly, so a little more couldn't hurt?"

Glinda huffed but gave in. "Fine," she said, obviously pouting.

Elphaba smiled faintly once more and replied, "I'll see you in the morning."

"If I even have to stay in here that long."

"Goodnight, Glinda," Elphaba called over her shoulder as she exited the infirmary.

"Goodnight, Elphaba."

* * *

Despite himself, despite everything telling him otherwise, hell, despite all reason, Fiyero was worried about her. And he didn't know why.

So he went to check on her. She had left the infirmary, apparently, for Glinda was asleep and only the nurses and patients were there. She wasn't in her dormitory, for he had knocked on the door to her and Glinda's room for several minutes before realising it was empty. She wasn't in Dillamond's old classroom- that was the next place he checked. Irritated by that point and asking himself why in Oz he had to care about whatever happened to the girl, he headed towards the library.

He found Elphaba in the back, sitting on the window seat. She was apparently absorbed in a book, but her eyes told him otherwise: they were distant and gazing out glassily at the setting sun.

He knew she wasn't alright, Oz, her sister had _died_, but he was going to leave her to her own musings. Leaving without alerting her to his presence, however, was apparently a skill above him, for he tripped and fell to the ground in a noisy clatter.

She jumped visibly and put her book down beside her, unconsciously smoothing her hair and her skirts. "Master Fiyero-" she started coolly, no emotion leaking through, but he interrupted her.

"Elphaba." His tone was light, but he knew she would get his point.

Sighing, she corrected her previous acknowledgement. "Fiyero, then, if you please. What are you doing here? I thought you made it a point to avoid libraries with a passion."

He took a few steps forward. "I came to see you. See if you were alright."

Elphaba responded far too quickly. "Of course I'm alright."

He, however, saw her turn away and wipe at her eye subconsciously. "You're not alright."

She turned towards him, still showing far less irritation than she usually would, instead horribly apathetic. "No, I'm not alright. Please stop acting like you know what I'm going through."

_Alright_, he decided. _Two can play that game_. "No, Miss Elphaba," he replied, adding the honorific to emphasize his point, "I don't know what you're going through. I mean, yes, she was your sister, but she wasn't a very good one, from what I saw. For pity's sake, she treated you more like a servant than a sister. Elphaba, do this. Elphaba, help me put these shoes on. Elphaba, how could you not act just as I wanted you to?"

She marched up to him, so close he could barely breathe. "How _dare_ you," she seethed, furious now. "She was crippled! I was her sister; of course I would help her. How dare you!"

Well, fury was better than no emotion, he supposed. "She took advantage of you and you know it."

"How dare you," she repeated, her voice choked this time.

Surprised and a tad guilty, he tried backtracking. "Elphaba," he murmured.

Instead of responding verbally, however, she lashed out at him, pounding him with her fists- not hard enough to hurt but definitely with enough point to get their meaning across.

Fiyero's mind blanked. What in Oz could he do? With no better plan, he wrapped his arms around her with much difficulty and pressed her to him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry," he murmured, repeating it after she stopped resisting. "I'm sorry."

To his surprise, Elphaba shuddered and wrapped her own arms around him, pressing her face into his shoulder. She was crying, he realised after his shirt dampened where she had her face pressed into it.

Against his better judgment, he gently pulled away from the embrace and twisted to look at her. "Elphaba?"

She turned so he couldn't see his face, paused for a moment, shaking, and ran.

Fiyero sat down on the window seat a moment later, rubbing his eyes wearily with his own shaking hands. He was getting tired of this, he decided resignedly.

* * *

"Miss Elphaba, I hate to press the matter, but I assure you, this is the last time I will ask," she was saying.

Elphaba was hardly paying attention. She couldn't. She hadn't been paying attention to anything since her break-down in front of Fiyero an hour and some ago. "I- I'm sorry, Madame, but hadn't we agreed I wasn't to go?"

Morrible simpered. "Yes, dearie, but I thought your opinion might have changed since your sister's passing- dreadful news. I was so sorry to hear it."

Somehow Morrible's fake sympathy got under her skin more than Fiyero's criticism of Nessa had. Her blood was boiling and she could barely hear through the ringing in her ears. A vase on the shelf behind Morrible suddenly imploded, sending shards of glass everywhere.

Morrible reappeared from under her desk where she had ducked to and blinked owlishly. "Miss Elphaba?"

Her anger was gone and somehow… wouldn't it be good to get away from all of this? From lingering remnants of Nessa's memory, from Glinda's strange hallucinations and the repercussions of this illness? From Fiyero and his odd behaviour?

"… How long do I have before I have to go?"

* * *

And now for the easiest part of the chapter to write... review responses!

**Fae2135:** Snicker. Hope this chapter's Fiyeraba interaction didn't bother you too much then. Thanks for the birthday wishes and the review! Hope you enjoyed yours as well.

**Kai-chan Akiyama:** I don't really care, cause that one review was quite sufficient. Thanks so much! Hopefully you enjoyed your romp through FFN a bit xP. (And I love you for that compliment. I always thought characterisation was my weakest point.)

**Dyani:** Thankee thankee thankee. I tried to make Fiyero like that, cause chivalry is love but obliviousness makes readers go "ugh" and love him at the same time x). What is your favourite pairing, by the way?

**OMG it's WickedJelly:** There are no words. You already know how much your review made me laugh, so I won't go there, but I will say this: thanks for the advice about adverbs. I hopefully have lessened up a bit. (And reading the fourth chapter again made me gasp in agony. The multitude!)

**Sparkling Patronus:** You're right. Unfortunately. I didn't want to kill her off but I kinda needed to. For multiple reasons. Rofl, and to think that the "story plot" my sister gave me was 'something happens and Fiyero comforts Elphaba'. Don't think this is what she had in mind! Oh well, she's not even reading it anymore, so piffle to her.

Thanks also to **X-Kate-X**, **ElphabaThropp95**, and **Solarity**! ...And you lamer people who read and didn't review :(. No boldness for youuu!


	6. Wounds the Heart

**A/N:** -dodges tomatoes-. Again, I'm sorry for the long wait D:. Unfortunately, if you guys haven't read my profile yet, I'm kinda getting less and less interested with Wicked? At least fanfiction-wise. The section's getting cluttered ;\. However, I will finish this story (not sure about For Good) before even thinking about switching sections.

This chapter isn't great, but guess what! It's the longest so far. Hah. Despite the fact that I wrote it all yesterday today. I procrastinate. What can I say.

* * *

**Wounds the Heart**

Elphaba walked back to the room she and Glinda shared in a daze. Her head was still muddled, unsure of herself, yet she was tired of this constant debate. She had no reason to stay; why turn down an opportunity based on what might be? With every step, the argument sounded better in her head. She wasn't convinced, but hell, she was ready to be gone. Meeting the Wizard meant leaving Shiz, leaving Fiyero, leaving this accursed illness, and- for this she was most glad- leaving the lonely remnants of her sister's presence in the past, where she was now convinced they belonged.

Once she reached the room, the calming, familiar silence enveloped her. All thoughts of the Wizard, sickness, and Nessa fled to the back of her mind. She fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.

She dreamed of Witches and an annoying little girl that night.

Elphaba awoke before the sun the next morning, a cold sheen of sweat on her face. Why did that recurring dream bother her so much? And the word Witch was key? That much was evident, based on Glinda's reaction to it and the emphasis her subconscious put on it in the persistent nightmares. With a sigh, she forced the nightmare and all related thoughts to the back of her mind, getting up to dress.

However, as soon as she stood up, she noticed something peculiar: Glinda was sleeping in her bed. Well, that wasn't peculiar in itself, but the fact that Elphaba hadn't noticed before was. Something was wrong; Glinda never slept like that before.

In the first few weeks that the two were roommates, Glinda (well, Galinda, then) had driven Elphaba mad with her sleeping habits. Despite the blonde's rationale that to be popular, she must be as graceful and likeable as possible, she had slept like a messy child- arms and legs splayed at odd angles, her petite frame taking up as much of the bed as she possibly could. And she _snored_. Long, rasping, high-pitched snores. Dear Oz, it was enough to make anyone wish they were anywhere else.

At any rate, Glinda was now sleeping curled up into a small ball, her breaths quiet and shallow. Elphaba actually walked over to her roommate's bed to make sure she _was_ still breathing.

As if the inspection had nudged her awake, Glinda's eyes shot open.

Elphaba jumped back, startled by the sudden movement, and then sighed. "When did you get out of the infirmary?"

Glinda blinked a few times before sitting up in bed. She slowly responded, as if remembering herself, "Sometime late last night. They were trying to move some of the ill around so they were as spread out as possible and said I could leave. You were already asleep."

Elphaba shook her head forcibly, as if ridding her mind of any negative thoughts. "You're alright, then?" she asked.

"Good," she continued once Glinda had nodded. "Because I really want to talk to you about something but I couldn't if you were still feeling horrible."

"Why wouldn't you be able to speak to me if I was sick?" Glinda inquired, honestly confused.

Elphaba laughed. "Not physically unable, just unwilling to, Glinda."

"Oh. Well, go ahead and ask it." As she said it, Glinda got up and began preparing for the day, assembling outfits, putting on a bit of light makeup (though, surprisingly, she did it with less fervour than normal).

Elphaba faltered upon trying to answer, busying herself with making her bed up. Why was she so nervous to divulge this information to Glinda all of the sudden? Disregarding her hesitance, she murmured, "I… I said yes to Madame Morrible. I'm going to the Emerald City." She paused, watching Glinda drop her eyebrow pencil in shock, and then continued with more excitement, "I'm meeting the Wizard, Glinda."

"Wait, wait, wait," Glinda said nervously, approaching her friend with extended hands as one would do to calm a vicious animal. "What happened to 'I'm not sure I can do it' or 'I don't trust Morrible'?"

Elphaba blinked. "And what happened to 'Elphie, you should go!'? Honestly, Glinda, I thought you'd be _pleasantly_ surprised and happy for me."

"I _am_ happy for you," Glinda said in a whisper so low that Elphaba had to strain to catch everything she was saying. "I'm just worried." She smiled sadly and murmured, "I guess I just don't want to stay here all by myself."

Elphaba also forced a smile. "You won't be alone," she replied, forcing as much of the resentment out of her voice as she could. "You'll have Fiyero."

Glinda snorted in a very un-Glinda-esque way. "I doubt it, as we just broke up."

Flabbergasted, Elphaba turned her full attention to her friend. "What? When?"

"Last night, after I had woken up but before I came back to the room. He was a little distracted, but we got to talking and we both agreed it was probably best if we just… stopped for a while? I don't know… it just made sense at the time, I guess. Plus, he was practically ecstatic, so it's probably for the better," she added with more than just a hint of bitterness.

"Glinda," Elphaba murmured, not knowing whether consoling her friend or berating Fiyero would help more.

"No, it's better this way," Glinda said in an obvious yet failing attempt to sound nonchalant. "He said we'd be better as friends, and I hope he's right, 'cause what sort of boyfriend is happy when you break up with him?" She was obviously losing what cool she had, for her lip was now wobbling and her voice was shaky. When she saw Elphaba had nothing to say (for her friend was staring at her, at a loss for words), she continued, adding more resentment to her tone with each word. "He said he was in love with someone else, but didn't want to hurt me."

"Did you love him?" Elphaba said suddenly, startling her friend out of her tirade, knowing if the answer was 'yes', she could never with a clean conscience feel _anything_ towards Fiyero.

Glinda inhaled sharply, blinking her eyes rapidly. "I-" She paused, crumpling down onto her bed and burying her face into her hands with an exaggerated sigh. "I don't know," she whispered through her hands. "I mean, obviously I felt _something_ towards him, but… I don't know. I'm not sure whether I loved him or if I loved the idea of being with him. If you know what I mean."

Elphaba cocked her head slightly, looking at her roommate in surprise. "I'm impressed, Glinda," she murmured, but not cruelly.

"What do you mean?" Glinda asked as she lifted her head up once more.

"Well…" She tried to think of a way to phrase it that didn't sound horribly unkind or dispassionate. "I didn't know either, but I never expected you to admit that. It's just… an unusually mature response."

Glinda huffed indignantly. "I can be mature when I want to, Elphaba."

"I didn't mean that," Elphaba clarified hurriedly. "It's just, most people wouldn't admit that and it's not something I expected you to do." She changed the subject when she realised her friend looked no less put out. "You're better off without him, anyway."

"It just hurts, you know?" Glinda said finally, looking at her hands. "Being with someone and then finding out it's all a lie."

Elphaba decided she'd have to have a talk with Fiyero before she left after all.

* * *

The talk came sooner than she thought. She was in the library that morning, as her class had been cancelled, catching up on some magic studying she'd decided she'd need before she went and saw the Wizard when something blocked her light. The source sat down in front of her, grinning like a buffoon. "How are you, Elphie?" Fiyero asked affably. "You look better, at least."

Elphaba clenched her jaw. "Are you an idiot, Fiyero?"

He shrank back into his seat, looking put out. "I get that a lot, yes, but it's mostly an act. Why, what'd I do this time?"

She resisted the urge to pull out her hair in frustration. Instead, she settled for shutting her book with a louder 'thud' than was really needed, eliciting a half-hearted glare from the only other person in the library, the bookkeeper. Lowering her voice to an intimidating hiss instead of the yell she had been preparing for, she answered, "Not only do you break up with Glinda, but you tell her you're in love with someone else as well?"

Fiyero visibly started. "She told you?"

"Yes, Fiyero," Elphaba said wearily, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "We're friends, we tell each other everything."

"Everything?" he repeated, looking a bit wary and doubtful.

After a moment's pause, Elphaba shifted uncomfortably, thinking of the feelings she felt for the young man sitting in front of her. She hadn't shared those with Glinda. "Well, not everything."

He smiled despite himself, hesitated a moment, and then asked, "Well, I could understand why she's mad at me, but why are you mad at me?"

She stared at him in disbelief. "She's my best friend- my _only_ friend."

"Aaand here come the thorns again," he muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"The thorns," Fiyero said, a bit louder this time, looking a bit embarrassed. At her confused stare, he explained, "Your sister may have been the one named Nessarose, but you're far more like a rose than she was. Beautiful, -" (at this, she started vehemently protesting, flushing) "yes, Elphaba, you are beautiful whether you realise it or not. And, like a rose's thorns, you have your defence mechanisms- your sarcasm, your bitterness, the way you keep people at a distance. And, well, also like a rose, it takes a while for you to open up to anyone." He trailed off awkwardly at the end as he saw she was beginning to get more irritated.

"And I suppose you think you're the sun in this lovely little metaphor you've created?" she asked, sarcasm dripping from her words.

He grinned cheekily. "Well, I have heard from many sources that I'm hot."

Elphaba couldn't help it; the edges of her mouth twitched as she fought back a snort. "Honestly, though, Fiyero: are you tactless enough to announce you were in love with someone else to your girlfriend?"

"Am."

"What?" she asked, confused by the response.

"You said I 'was in love with someone else'. I am in love with her."

Ignoring the way that her traitorous heart sank at that, Elphaba sighed. "But still, Fiyero, why tell her? She would've been better off not knowing."

Fiyero took a long breath. "Well, I figured she'd find out eventually, anyway," he said, meeting her gaze steadily.

She looked away. "And why, pray tell, do you figure that?"

A small, hesitant smile crept onto his face. "'Cause you tell her everything, right?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she whispered, shaking her head vehemently.

"Do you really not know?"

Elphaba felt dizzy and found a way to end the conversation quickly, ignoring his previous comment. "Well, in any case, I'm glad you found me. Saves me a trip to find you to say goodbye."

He opened his mouth to respond, obviously confused, but she beat him to the punch.

"I'm going to the Emerald City in two days. I'm off to see the Wizard." She couldn't help the small smile that crept onto her face.

Fiyero frowned slightly, but his tone was honest when he murmured, "I'm happy for you, Elphaba. I hope you find what you're looking for."

Elphaba's smile faded a little, but she whispered, "Thank you."

She hated that her eyes followed him as he exited the library.

* * *

Unfortunately, her last days at Shiz flew by a lot quicker than she had anticipated- or hoped- and the day of the departure was at hand. Glinda was a weeping mess the entire morning despite Elphaba's protests that she would only be gone for a couple of days.

Also to Elphaba's misfortune, Glinda had abandoned rationale and decided that Elphaba might not leave her if she couldn't find everything.

So, Elphaba was left frantically searching for the things that Glinda had hid, fuming ("Honestly, how childish can you get!"). Five rooms and a frenzied hour later, she was literally running towards the train station, where the conductor was already calling for all passengers to board. Glinda followed her half-heartedly, sniffling slightly.

"Now I have less time to say goodbye to you," said Elphaba, sounding a tad regretful, yet with obvious chastise behind her tone.

"Then don't," Glinda replied, grabbing her friend's hand.

Forcing a smile, Elphaba said, "Glinda, I'm not leaving without saying goodbye."

Glinda put her head down, looking like a little kid who was about to ask for something she knew she couldn't have. "Then don't go," she said meekly, shifting from one foot to the other. "Please?"

As much as she wanted to leave right then (for staying any longer risked missing the train), Elphaba put her suitcase down and gripped her friend's shoulders. "Glinda," she murmured, trying to sound consoling, "I- there's nothing left for me here."

"There's me," Glinda said, looking up at her friend defiantly. "Elphaba, you're my best friend. Don't leave me here all by myself…?"

Elphaba gave a shaky chuckle. "Well, I would say come, but the train's about to leave and I can't see you coming without your full wardrobe." When Glinda turned away, unsmiling, she sighed. "I'll be back by late next week, I promise."

"It doesn't feel like it."

"Last call for the train to the Emerald City!"

Elphaba gave her best and only friend an apologetic smile, hugged her, and grabbed the suitcase. "I have to go."

Glinda managed a "Goodbye, Elphie," before tears overcame her.

Elphaba boarded the train as it pulled away, feeling nauseated.

* * *

The train ride was fairly uneventful. Elphaba slept and read for the entirety of it, her only disturbance a young woman who came by with a food trolley (who left looking quite frazzled).

She arrived in the Emerald City far sooner than she had hoped; she felt completely unprepared to meet the Wizard (for, since it had taken her so long to see reason and accept his invitation, they were scheduled to meet that very afternoon, a mere hour after she arrived).

She was partly glad for the lack of extra time, though. Reading and studying only put her more on edge and she certainly didn't feel like sightseeing at the moment. Not when people would stare and gawk. Not by herself, at least.

As she walked through the streets of the City of Emeralds, however, no one stared- at least, not in disgust or fear. She blended in with the green buildings and apparel easily, leaving people waving merrily at her instead of gasping in horror. It was nice, she decided, to be treated as a person and not a display.

Despite her lifted spirits, the nauseated and nervous feeling came back the moment she stepped foot into the extravagant, emerald, crystalline palace. She mentally began counting, doing anything she could to calm her jumpy nerves.

Ironically, what nervousness she still felt fled as she entered the throneroom. It was obviously designed to look imposing, but it didn't intimidate her at all.

Neither did the balding man in a lab coat standing in front of a rather ridiculous-looking contraption shaped like a head. "Your Ozness?" she asked tentatively, hoping the man wouldn't start dithering like an idiot if he turned out to be a mere citizen.

Apparently he wasn't, for the man gave her an odd smile, turning his full attention towards her. "Ah, Miss Elphaba Thropp?"

Elphaba gave a short curtsy, nearly toppling over in a moment of embarrassing ungainliness. When she recovered, blushing like a fool, her gaze fell upon the large metal machine.

The Wizard met her gaze and laughed quietly, a secretive smile appearing on his face. "You think it's a bit much?"

"I just don't see why you need it," she murmured inattentively, her mind wandering.

"Well," the Wizard said, "when one hears the word 'Wizard', one thinks of marvellous things! Lights, buttons, wheels, whistles, magic- people want what they think is wonderful, not normal. And so, I give them what they want."

Elphaba's brow furrowed. "Even if you have to lie to get their trust?"

"At whatever cost, Miss Elphaba." His smile didn't quite reach to his eyes, as if she was supposed to pick up on some hidden meaning.

Snapping her view from the head, she dipped her head once more, acknowledging why she was in the man's presence. "Your Ozness, Madame Morrible has sent me here to aid you. She proposes that- if my skills please you- I could become a Vizier."

He nodded. "I know why you're here. I also knew what it took to get you to come here. You're a stubborn young woman, aren't you?"

"What it took to get me to come here?" Elphaba repeated, ignoring his last question in her confusion.

"Yes," the Wizard replied. "From what your headmistress told me, you were most difficult to persuade."

She suddenly felt as if the walls were closing in on her; she found herself unable to breathe. She had left because of the sickness, because of Nessa. She had left because there was nothing left _to_ stay for… How had Morrible convinced her?

The sickness was magical. Suddenly, it clicked, and Elphaba's jaw dropped in absolute horror. "It was her. Sh- she started the illness?"

The Wizard blinked owlishly. Apparently he hadn't realised what he'd let slip. Recovering, he just grinned, a nasty edge to his smile. "She said you were intelligent. Oh, can't you see, Elphaba? That's why I need you. I'm the Wizard- the face behind it all. You could be the Vizier, the one who performs all the magic. The brains!"

"She killed my sister," Elphaba said blankly, her brain barely comprehending the situation. "She _murdered_ her students."

"Casualties of the business we work in," the Wizard replied with a casual wave of his hand. "Casualties of the business you'll soon work in as well."

Gone was the confusion, and in its wake blew a cold fury- Elphaba was angrier than she could ever remember being. "I will _never_ join you."

Instead of being angry like she had expected, the Wizard laughed- a cold, menacing laugh that sent chills down her spine. "You will soon find you don't have a choice."

"There's always a choice," she whispered fiercely, sprinting towards the door.

"So be it." The Wizard ran behind the metal head, and no sooner had she reached the doorknob had he called out, "Guards! There is a fugitive in the castle! Find her, but do not attempt to kill her- she is an evil, wicked Witch who will kill you as soon as look at you."

Torn between the desire to laugh maniacally and sob, Elphaba ran as fast as she could towards the ground floor, occasionally hiding in broom cupboards. Witch. They had called her a Witch.

She didn't suppose she could go back to Shiz now even if she wanted to.

Glinda had been right after all.

* * *

Review responses:

Thank you all so much! 9 reviews last chapter; that's the most on any chapter so far this story (though For Good still trumps this review-wise ;-;).

**MoonlitInuko **- I'm really glad you decided to review; I liked your input on the chapter/story :). Hopefully this didn't kill all happy feelings you had about the story .

**Fae2135 **- Aww, I love Nessa :(. I had to portray her as somewhat of a brat, though, as one, that's her character, and two, Fiyero had to be justified in criticising her, right:P But yeah, Frex with no Nessa? Bad.

**Wiztine** - Glad you picked up on that :D. Yes, there's no Nessa, ergo, no Wicked Witch of the East, no Eminence once Frex dies, no getting crushed by a flying house (perhaps no need for Dorothy at all, since they wouldn't be trying to lure Elphaba out of hiding), _no magicked shoes_! A lot of things will be different, that's for sure. Though some things are, inevitably, the same.

**Dyani **- I should so make a soundtrack. -enters creepy music per description into last chapter- :P. That'd be awesome.

Thanks also to **OMG it's WickedJelly **(Good. Morrible's evil. Remember that ;D.), **populardarling**, **Evilina Tiggular**, **LostOzian **(yay, you picked up on that, too :P), and **TheThroppSistersandCompany**. Oh, and all you other loverly people who read. But you're not quite as loverly as my reviewers so nyah no bold for you.

Reviews are loved :D.


	7. Kiss Me Goodbye

**A/N: **First, as always, I apologise for the long wait. But before you get angry at me, think of this: I could've ended the story in this chapter . I had the opportunity and decided against it.

'shizkin' is not mine. It belongs to the _brilliant_ The Pixess ;P. Hope you don't mind that I borrowed it! (If you do, say so and I'll remove it. Rofl.)

Not the greatest or longest chapter, but I like it. Reviews are loved :).

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**Kiss Me Goodbye**

She was trapped. Thinking she couldn't outrun the guards (and, most likely, she had thought correctly), Elphaba had ran as far as she could before she heard them on the stairs behind her. Once she had, she ducked into what looked like a storage closet. It was a fairly large storage closet, given, but it was still effectively working as a prison: there was only one way out.

And running out that door meant running straight into the clutches of the Gale Force.

Panting, trying to catch her breath, Elphaba froze in fear as she heard the heavy footsteps approach and stop very near to her hiding spot.

"She can't have gone far," a gruff voice called out to the men. "Search everywhere and _find_ her."

As soon as she heard the troops move farther away, Elphaba started frantically searching the storeroom, attempting to find some alternate exit. Or, she figured, if not an exit, at least somewhere to hide better so they might not find her immediately if they happened to open the door.

There was nothing. Correction: there were plenty of spare items, such as brooms, buckets, and cleaning supplies. There was nothing, however, that she could use.

What felt like forever passed, each long, tense moment agonising, before she heard a lilting voice. He didn't sound too far away, but nevertheless said, "Sir, there's no sign of the Witch. The men have searched the attic, all the servants' quarters, and the entire ground level. She must've gotten away."

"That's impossible," replied the same voice Elphaba had heard earlier. There was a long pause, broken when the same man said irately, "Fine, search the slums! Make sure all of the Emerald City knows the punishment for harbouring a dangerous fugitive."

Elphaba let out a sigh of relief and moved to make herself slightly more comfortable as the voices died away. It was a huge mistake, however; one that as soon as she made, she was positive she would pay dearly for. For when she shifted, a bucket also moved, toppling to the floor and bringing several containers down with it.

The footsteps outside paused. "Did you hear that?" someone asked.

Elphaba felt as if her heart had truly stopped and in the place of blood, ice water was now pumping through her veins.

The footsteps grew closer.

Elphaba prayed to whatever God would listen that if they saved her from this, she'd become more faithful.

The door opened.

The face of an unkempt, cold man broke into a feral grin. "Hello, my sweet."

Elphaba felt her arm being ripped from its socket as the man yanked her up, dragged her out of the closet, and threw her onto the ground in a heap. "Well, lookie what we have here, men," he announced, raising his voice so the men down the hall turned in astonishment.

"Oz, she's just a girl," one of the older officers exclaimed upon getting a good look at her.

She spat at the Captain's feet when they started mocking her, prompting them to laugh raucously. "And a feisty one at that."

"Let's bring her to the Wizard, then. He'll surely reward us."

Elphaba froze, grateful for the first time in the last few moments that her long hair was covering her face- it allowed her to think without having to worry about concealing her emotions. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, pretties," she said, forcing her voice into a higher range than it usually went.

They continued laughing, though, to her credit, it was a bit more nervously. "And why wouldn't we want to do that," one of them asked mockingly, "pretty?"

She jerked her head up, allowing her hair to act as a curtain to her face. "He told you I was a Witch, did he not?" she said quickly, making it up as she went. "If you should attempt to bring me back to your pathetic _Wizard_-" she spat the word out as if it were a curse- "I'll have to use my magic on you."

Their laughter stopped. "You couldn't," the stoutest of them replied confidently. "We have your hands tied up."

In response, Elphaba started muttering nonsensical words. It had the desired effect, for they backed up several steps, their faces paling. They didn't, however, release her.

"Gag her," the Captain said, pointing to one of the ones grasping her hands behind her back.

The one pointed out started and started shaking nervously. Elphaba merely forced a smirk.

"Oh for Oz's sake," one of the officers said. "Just knock her out."

"And have her hex us? No, thank you," another retorted. There was a bit more scuffling around- Elphaba couldn't see any of them anymore, for she was pressed up against the wall, her hands still twisted painfully behind her back.

Someone scoffed, Elphaba's head was thrown backwards sharply, and a soaked cloth-covered hand made its way around her head to cover her mouth and nose. Struggling to get free, Elphaba tried not to breathe in, but she soon became dizzy, her lungs tight and painfully hot. Inevitably, the need for oxygen became too much and she took a deep breath in, wrapping her view in darkness.

* * *

Something was wrong. Glinda knew that much.

Morrible was nowhere to be found- a bad omen if she ever saw one. Elphaba had been gone for only a day and already a bad feeling had begun to take hold, twisting and transmuting until she couldn't eat or sleep. Something was wrong.

Her fears were confirmed when Madame Morrible suddenly reappeared late that afternoon in the Main Hall, blubbering rather falsely and blabbering about something having to do with the Emerald City. She pressed a hanky to her giant, shaking nose and composed herself, declaring a moment later in a breathy voice that an assembly would be held in fifteen minutes' time.

Fiyero pushed through the small crowd and found his way to Glinda. The two were still a bit stiff with each other, but had agreed to put aside their differences and try to be friends- at least until everything was sorted out. "What's that all about, d'you reckon?" he muttered to her as people started flooding out the doors.

"I don't know," she replied, "but I have a really bad feeling I don't want to know."

Fiyero paled. "Do you think something went wrong with Elphaba's trip?"

Glinda shrugged, her throat tightening. "I don't know," she whispered around the lump in her throat. "That's the only thing I can think of in the Emerald City that Morrible would care about, though."

They were jolted by a few passing students, and Fiyero bit his lip. "C'mon," he said finally. "Let's go see what this is all about, then." He placed his hand politely on her elbow, helping to lead her through the crowd.

Five pushy, crowded minutes later, Glinda found herself sitting between Fiyero and Boq in the cushy parlour not used in everyday campus life. The students were packed together, most sitting on the benches but a few left to stand. There was an excited buzz around the room, each contributor bringing a different note. Some had a tinge of anxiety to their hum, some worry, some happiness, some sadness.

"Think she'll say the sickness is over?" someone said.

"Oh, I hope she says exams are cancelled!" cried another.

"You're all wrong," another exclaimed gleefully. "It's about the Wicked Witch!"

A shiver ran up and down Glinda's spine as the room silenced, goosebumps erupting all over her arms and legs. "Wicked Witch?" she repeated in a whisper to Fiyero. The buzz resumed again, more apprehensive this time.

Fiyero shrugged, looking slightly queasy.

It wasn't too long before they would find out, though. Madame Morrible entered the room with a dramatic flourish, sending the room into silence once more. She walked up to the podium set up in the front of the room and cleared her throat. "My dear students," she began melodramatically, "I have good news and bad news to share with you all today. First, thrillifying news: no new cases of the sickness have been reported in several days. We are beginning to believe this horrendible illness is over!"

Cheers erupted throughout the room.

Morrible finally stopped them after a moment with a wave of her hand. "Yes, yes, very riveting," she said. "However, we must grave for those who have passed." A simper formed and passed on her face before she said, "And now, the dreadful news: one of our classmates has turned. Yes, ladies and gentlemen," she exclaimed over the gasps, "we have been playing host to an ungrateful traitor."

"Oh shizkin," Glinda whispered.

Once the exclamations died down a bit, Morrible began to recount the tale of what had happened the previous day. "So, you see, Miss Thropp had been invited to meet the Wizard- the lucky lady was being offered a job. Instead, the ungrateful brat threw it in Our Glorious Leader's face, attempting to steal from Our Glorious Leader, putting several, poor, defenceless Animals in harm's way in the process, as well as assaulting his Guards!"

The students were in tumult by this point, saying things like, "I always knew she was trouble," and, "What an ungrateful little witch!"

Glinda, on the other hand, began bawling into Fiyero's shoulder, who was staring ahead blankly, pale as a sheet. Out of the corner of her eye, Glinda saw Boq shake his head in disbelief. "She wouldn't do that, Fiyero," Glinda was murmuring to him, barely audible over the students' uproar. "I know her. She wanted this more than anything. She cares about the Animals and their rights. She wouldn't do this."

"Come on," he said, pulling her to her feet and following the few people who had begun to trickle out. Once they were free of the hectic parlour, Fiyero led Glinda to a bench outside, where he allowed her to sob until she was out of tears.

"She wouldn't do it," Glinda repeated shakily some time later. The sky was growing dark but the two were still outside, not wanting to go back in to hear the awful rumours.

"I know," Fiyero said reassuringly, leaning back against the bench raggedly. "The more pressing issue is why would they say she did?"

* * *

The first thing Elphaba noticed when she awakened, the moment she opened her eyes, was the weather. Oz had been having an unusually long period of sun- long enough, indeed, to cause a drought; three-quarters of Oz (excluding the wealthy Gillikin and the Emerald City itself) had been limited as to the amount of water they were permitted to use, hoping to avoid running out before the next rainfall. Now, however, it sounded as if it were hailing: something quite large and loud was beating an uneven, rapid tattoo on the stone roof and walls surrounding her.

It was then that she realised where she was, recalling the previous events in a moment's breadth. She must be in the Wizard's prison, for the guards had managed to capture and drug her.

Never had she felt so scared, so powerless. She was cold, hungry, tired, sore, and inevitably alone. She sat up, hugging her knees to her chest for both warmth and comfort. How in Oz was she going to get out of this?

Her movement must have triggered a spell, for a loud, high-pitched droning caused her to bolt upright in alarm. As heavy footsteps quickly approached nearer and nearer, she looked, frantically around for something with she could defend herself. Only a bale of hay and a broom rested in the cell she occupied. Sighing inwardly, she picked up the broomstick, brandishing it in front of her like a blade.

The guards- there were three of them- finally appeared out of the shadows. They looked a bit taken-aback at the girl in front of them, but they apparently deemed the broom- and the one wielding it- no threat to them, for they laughed loudly and gutturally.

"What, are you going to sweep the dirt off our clothes?" one said, sending the other two into more laughter.

Elphaba merely mustered as much ferocity as she could and forced it into a piercing glare as she jabbed one of them with the handle roughly.

"Dammit!" the one she hit swore. The other two immediately stopped laughing, attempting to wrest the broom from her hands. She put up as much of a fight as she could, but two fully-grown, trained, muscular men were no match for the scrawny, gangly, teenaged girl. It flew out of her hands eventually, the men grabbing the other end of it not ready for the sudden lack of resistance; as a result, they fell to the ground.

Elphaba's parched lips turned upwards even though there was nothing remotely funny with the situation. As soon as the guards righted themselves, they advanced on her cell, rattling the bars threateningly. "Just wait," one of them hissed as she shrank back from their rank breath, "the Wizard will punish you soon enough."

Her heart stopped for a moment. As soon as it resumed, the beat was erratic in fright. What was she supposed to do?

She tuned the buffoons out as they began lecturing her about the different ways they could torture her should she not behave. She was thinking as rapidly as she could- and yet, no brilliant ideas came to her.

One of the guards that had fallen grinned at her maliciously and motioned for his partners to follow him. The two finally left (but not without the guard she hit spitting in her general direction).

Truly alone for the first time in conscious memory since she had arrived in the Wizard's throneroom, Elphaba buried her face in her hands, trembling as the last precious drops of adrenaline fled her body. There was no way out- easy or difficult, she realised as a familiar prickling sensation began to take hold of her eyes.

Immediately she inwardly cursed her weakness, digging her fingernails into her palms in a painfully effective attempt to distract herself. It worked until her thoughts turned towards Glinda and Fiyero; her resolve crumbled. Salty tears flowed down her cheeks, leaving peculiar stinging tracks as they evaporated into the cold, stale night air.

Dimly she registered the hail had been replaced with a steady, soothing rain. As the last tear dried, she wearily collapsed onto the makeshift bed of hay.

Spent from the tears and the emotional impact of the day's events, Elphaba half-heartedly drifted off into a bittersweet slumber, plagued by ominous dreams that confused her sense of reality and filled her heart with ironic longing.

* * *

I won't be doing review responses, as I recently found out they're against the rules . Whatever.

Thanks to: **TheThroppSistersandCompany**,** OMG it's WickedJelly, MoonlitInuko**,** Bombalurinasara**,** Geordie Jedi**,** Sparkling Patronus**, **xxDefyGravityxx**,** X-Kate-X**,** populardarling**,** not a geek freak**. You guys make my world go round :) (and I mean that quite literally).


	8. Whatever Way Our Stories End

**A/N:** I am very proud of myself. You guys only had a four-day wait instead of the usual month or so xD. However, all good things come at a cost: this is officially the last chapter of WMHB xD. It's the first story I've completed, even if it's shorter than I had planned. HOWEVER: I am thinking of making a new story soon :). Either I'll pick For Good up again (but change it. A lot.) or start on this new idea I have. Please look at the bottom for notes!

Thank you, thank you, thank you x a million to all my reviewers. You've kept me sane these past seven (holy freaking crap) months.

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**Whatever Way Our Stories End**

Elphaba awoke to a gruff, slightly familiar voice. "Get up, Elphaba."

She rubbed her eyes clear of sleep, stretched, and looked at the figure in front of her cell. "You," she hissed, immediately incensed.

"Me," the Wizard agreed. He pulled a stool from the shadows and placed it near the iron bars. "Why did you run, Elphaba?"

She snorted in response, backing up as far against the stone wall as she could. "You honestly think I would've joined you after you basically admitted condoning the death of my sister?"

The Wizard sighed, chuffing his chin with his hand. "Elphaba," he said, suddenly sounding years older, "you will soon learn that nothing comes freely. You are young; you see the world through optimistic eyes. The world is a cruel, bitter place; to get ahead, you have to be willing to make some sacrifices."

"I wasn't aware that I agreed to sacrifice my sister," she snapped. "And _don't_ call me Elphaba."

A small smile passed over his face, as though her obstinacy amused him. "Alright then, Miss Thropp. What would you prefer me to call you?"

She pursed her lips. "You can call me anything you like as long as you let me out of this cell."

"Not going to happen," he replied instantly- he had obviously expected that response. "I'm sorry."

"Don't," she hissed. "You aren't sorry. To feel regret means you would have a heart; you've given me plenty of proof to believe otherwise."

He glanced up at her. "So you're an expert on matters of the heart, then, Miss Thropp?" His tone was even, challenging.

She drew back as though he had reached through the bars and slapped her. "Don't," she said, a furious undertone to her whisper. "Don't you dare act as though you know me, as though you know how I've felt."

"Oh, but I do know you," he replied, lowering his voice as well. "I know you have a father who saw every fault but never any of your talents. You had a sister who used you for her own benefit. You had a friend who only looked twice at you because of her guilt-"

"Shut up," Elphaba said feverishly, standing up. "You have _no_ idea who I am. You have no right."

He merely chuckled in response. "I do know you, Elphaba, whether or not you choose to see it. I also know what you could be. You could be stuck in this prison for the rest of your life-"

"For what crime? Trying to leave your magnificent palace?" she spat.

He sighed, continuing despite the interruption. "Or you could join me."

"Likely."

He ignored her. "You could be my Vizier- you would be respected, honoured- loved, even. You could help me stay as wonderful as everyone believes I am-"

"A façade!"

"-and in return I might be willing to compromise with you a bit. Elphaba, people change."

"People never change," she said with a snort. "Only viewpoints."

The Wizard buried his face in his hands. "You're stubborn to the point of foolishness."

"I prefer the term 'not willing to compromise her beliefs', thank you very much."

He looked up, meeting her stubborn gaze once more. "You're sure you wish to condemn yourself to prison?" he asked, his tone a bit regretful.

"You're the one condemning me," she muttered. "And it's not like I have a choice."

He stood up, a nasty grin forming on his face as he departed. "There's always a choice."

* * *

Eldreda Morrible was sitting at her desk, hooked nose poring over paperwork she had yet to finish when a knock sounded at the door. She gave a start before calling, "Come in."

A flushed mail courier entered, chest heaving as he handed her a letter. "From the Emerald City," he managed to say between gasps. "Urgent, apparently."

"Thank you," she murmured to the young man, already tearing open the emerald envelope. The letter had only three words on it:

'Send the other.'

She allowed herself a moment to recollect her calm, massaging the bridge of her nose absent-mindedly. What in Oz was she going to do if the girl refused?

Shaking the thought forcibly from her mind, she stood up and left her office in a search to find Glinda Upland.

It was not long before she found her- the girl had apparently been in her dorm for most of the past few days, according to a few random students she had asked. Once she reached the dorm that Miss Upland now had to herself, she paused before knocking on the door. What would she do if the girl were still upset over the betrayal of her roommate?

The blonde answered the door almost immediately. She did not look too run down to Morrible's well-trained eye- she had had many years of evaluating students' behaviours. Glinda had makeup on (though, admittedly, far less than she usually had), she looked well rested, and she gave no sign of displeasure upon seeing who was on the other side of her door.

"Madame Morrible," she exclaimed, surprised, but with no disgruntled undertone. "How can I help you?"

Morrible forced a toothy grin onto her face. "You cannot help me, but you may be able to help the Wizard."

The girl's eyebrows raised just a slight notch, but other than that, her face betrayed no emotions. "The Wizard?" she repeated, her voice even. "What could I possibly help him with?"

"As I'm sure you know," Morrible explained, "the Witch was supposed to become his Vizier. As she betrayed us all, he is down a candidate and asked me if you'd be willing to take her spot."

Glinda stepped back unconsciously, a smile still plastered on her face. "Is there any way I could think this over a bit before I let you know my decision?"

Morrible resisted the temptation to yell. What was it about these girls? If anyone had used 'the Wizard', 'you', and 'job offer' in the same sentence, most people would jump at the opportunity. "Of course, dear, but don't take too long. Let me know by tonight, if possible."

"Yes, Madame," Glinda murmured, bowing her head slightly before closing the door.

"What should I do?" Glinda moaned sometime later, pacing back and forth in front of a tall oak tree, whose shade Fiyero was currently enjoying. "I only asked for more time because I didn't know if saying no would get me in trouble as well! I mean, think about it; Elphaba went to the Emerald City at the same time that Morrible disappeared. Morrible comes back, Elphaba's an enemy. It can't be coincidence."

"Maybe you should go," Fiyero suggested.

She stopped pacing to whip her head around, astounded. "_What_?"

"Well," he said, crunching into an apple between words. "Like you said, it can't be a coincidence. Elphaba obviously did or said something she shouldn't have. I can't think of anything else she could have done that would've pissed the Wizard off so much. Maybe if you go, you could figure out some way to help her."

She was silent for a few long moments. "I'm scared," she finally admitted.

He sighed. "I know." They fell into silence once more.

"Will you see me off?"

* * *

"…newest political ally, Glinda the Good!"

Glinda winced as the citizens of the Emerald City began cheering for her, presented into society as 'Glinda the Good' by Madame Morrible. She did not deserve that title. She had done nothing good to earn it.

She tuned out Morrible as the crone began making a speech about the importance of goodness and loyalty. When it was over, she clapped politely, relieved when Morrible gestured for her to follow her back inside.

"Madame?" she began hesitantly. Everything she said was read deeper than it should, making it difficult talking there. "Is there any way I could see the Witch?"

Morrible turned around slowly. "Are our loyalties still with traitorous old friends?" she asked, her voice barely above that of a whisper.

"No, of course not," Glinda clarified in a hurry, making up an idea on the spot. "I just- she was my friend, as I'm sure you know. When she betrayed the Wizard, she betrayed me, too. I want to see her, if possible, and ask why she did it." She raised her chin slightly, as if daring Morrible to contradict her trustworthiness.

Morrible's eyes scanned hers, looking for any hints of untruth. "Very well," she said finally. "I'll arrange for someone to escort you to her cell tomorrow morning."

Glinda smiled, bending her feet in a small curtsy. "Thank you," she said before hurrying off to do some research.

She had plans for tomorrow.

* * *

Elphaba picked at a piece of straw poking out of the hay. Oz, she was bored. She had been in this cell for four days with only the occasional company of guards to save her from going completely insane.

She was contemplating yet another escape plan when she heard several pairs of footsteps draw near. She sighed. She was not ready for another drilling from the Wizard.

It was not the Wizard, though. She decided she must have been dreaming, for the figure the guards were escorting was none other than Glinda, dressed in some ridiculously poofy taffeta dress and brandishing a wand.

"Glinda?" she asked incredulously, her hoarse voice cracking from dehydration.

Glinda drew her chin up. "Silence, Witch," she spat, though her cruel tone did not quite reach her eyes.

Elphaba drew back, astounded. As if on instinct, she replied, "Glinda, what in Oz?"

"I said silence," Glinda said once more. "Now, I have some questions for you."

"How am I supposed to answer them if I'm supposed to remain silent?" Elphaba muttered. Did Glinda really believe all the lies the Wizard was spewing out? She thought she would die if her only friend had turned on her so easily.

Now she was positive she was hallucinating, for Glinda's lips twitched ever so slightly- she should not be amused at Elphaba's insubordination. Elphaba's brow furrowed as she realised Glinda's lips were still moving, though no audible words were emitting.

As soon as Glinda stopped mouthing words, the guards collapsed, unconscious, as though someone had drugged them. She fell to her knees, desperately grabbing at the iron bars that separated her from Elphaba. "Oh, Elphie, I'm sorry," she said then, sounding close to tears. "I had to act as though I hated you so they wouldn't be suspicious."

"What did you do?" Elphaba asked frantically, looking from the emotional blonde to the unconscious guards.

"Oh. I found a minor sleeping spell. It'll only last a few minutes, I'm afraid," Glinda murmured.

Elphaba's head was reeling. She had spent far too much time in this cell, apparently. Confusion then struck her from a different angle. "Glinda," she asked, "what in Oz are you doing here?"

Glinda gave her a half-hearted smile. "You're looking at the Wizard's Vizier." When Elphaba didn't respond, she continued, "I did it to help you."

"You're going to be in so much trouble," Elphaba moaned, hiding her face in her hands.

Glinda snorted. "Did you honestly think I would take the time to find a sleeping spell if I didn't have a plan?"

Hoping against all odds, Elphaba raised her head slowly. "What is this plan, then?"

"Alright. I'll have to find the key to your cell somewhere or break you out somehow-"

"No," Elphaba interjected. "They'll know it was you. I won't let you do that to yourself."

"- and then you'll cast the sleeping spell on me, so it'll look like you did it to all of us, allowing yourself time to escape," Glinda finished.

Elphaba did not respond right away. On one hand, she couldn't let her friend risk her freedom for a chance to break her out- she should say no. On the other hand, though… getting out of this cell was all she had thought about for the past four days. Glinda was offering her a chance; she should take it.

"I'm doing it whether or not you want me to," Glinda said in a failing attempt to sound light-hearted.

That settled it. "Alright," Elphaba said, admitting defeat. "How can I help?"

Glinda stood up immediately, a bright smile colouring her face. "Alright," she said, rubbing her hands together as she looked about the stone prison. "Do you have any idea where they keep the key?"

"It's over there," Elphaba said, gesturing to a hook on the far side. "Though it won't be as easy as sticking the key in and running. They have a passcode you need to use to unlock the cells."

Glinda suddenly looked frightened. "You wouldn't happen to know the current passcode, would you?"

Elphaba shook her head. "I've been watching them- they change the code every two days, so there should be a new one today and I don't know it. The past two were 'chivalry' and 'loyalty', though."

"So it's possible all the passcodes are traits?" Glinda murmured, more to herself than to Elphaba.

"I guess," Elphaba replied. "We should go ahead and try a few, though; we have nothing to lose."

Glinda walked over to the key hook, grabbing it with both hands. She then turned back to Elphaba's cell, attempting to unlock the door. The key stuck in the lock, refusing to turn. She sighed. "Determination?" she half-asked, trying the key again. It was still stuck.

"Try 'humility'," Elphaba murmured distractedly, muttering to herself as she tried to think of traits.

Glinda obeyed. "No," she replied. "Respect?" The key still refused to budge.

Five minutes and several traits later, they were still stuck. "Glinda," Elphaba said suddenly, "how long does that sleeping spell last?"

A look of horror passed over Glinda's face. "600 clock-ticks, I think."

Elphaba sighed. "We don't have much time. Look, put the key back- I can manage in here. I don't want you getting caught because of me."

"No," Glinda said fiercely, rattling off another list of traits. "There has got to be something that makes this stubborn key work!"

It clicked, turning in the lock, swinging the door open. "Stubborn?" Elphaba repeated, suddenly grinning. "How ironic."

Glinda hurried back to the key hook, replacing the key before enveloping her friend in a fierce hug. "Elphie, you've got to get out of here," she said, sounding tearful again.

"I know," Elphaba murmured, gently pulling away from her friend's overenthusiastic embrace. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "I don't know if I ever would have gotten out of here if it weren't for you."

"Oh hush," Glinda said, waving off her thanks. "Just go- the guards will wake up soon."

Elphaba hesitated, hugging Glinda once more.

Glinda burst into tears, desperately clutching onto Elphaba. "Elphie, you'll be alright?"

Elphaba laughed. "I'll be fine, Glinda," she chided, wiping her friend's tears away. "Now stop crying. If you have tear tracks or running mascara, it'll seem odd."

Glinda nodded. "I'll miss you, Elphie."

"I'll miss you too, Glinda," Elphaba said, giving her a wry smile. "Now, what's the spell?"

"'Q_uiesco__ paulisper_'," Glinda recited, showing Elphaba which syllables to stress.

"We'll see each other again," Elphaba said finally, getting prepared to cast the spell. "Don't worry."

"I won't," Glinda replied obediently.

Before she could think twice on her decision, Elphaba murmured, "_Quiesco paulisper_."

Glinda collapsed to the floor with the guards. Not sparing a second glance for fear she would regret her decision, Elphaba fled the dungeon.

* * *

There was no news of the Witch for a long time. Glinda the Good, though looked upon with heavy suspicion at first, slowly became a revered icon in the Ozian society, the epitome of goodness against the Wicked Witch of the West- for that is where it was rumoured the Witch had gone, to the West. However, no one could manage to find any trace of the ever-elusive Witch.

It was rumoured she had died. Others insisted she transformed herself into an Animal, as the slivers of information about the Witch nearly always pertained to Animal rights.

One thing was for certain, though: the Witch had disappeared- at least for the time being.

And somewhere, roaming near the borders of the Quadling Country and the Vinkus, a young, optimistic, and slightly foolish girl named Elphaba travelled alone, wistful for the past and constantly wondering what might have been.

"And there the wicked old Witch stayed for a good long time."

"Did she ever come out?"

"Not yet."

* * *

Yeah so I don't like the ending. WHATEVER.

**Thank you so much to the following people:**

**OMG it's WickedJelly** (props for having the most reviews:P), **X-Kate-X**, **Dyani**, **Sparkling Patronus**, **Solarity**, **MuchTooHighACost**, **populardarling**, **MoonlitInuko**, **TheThroppSistersandCompany**, **justcallmeelphie**, **LostOzian**, **Fae2135**, **Wiztine**, **Bombalurinasara**, **grey-eyed-goddess**, **AlloftheAbove**, **superawesomewriterperson**, **Niagra Falling** (even though I regret we fell out of correspondence, thank you for betaing the one chapter xD), **ElphabaThropp95**, **Kai-chan Akiyama**, **Evilina Tiggular**, **xxDefyGravityxx**, **Geordie Jedi**, **danderson**, **firestorm13**, **madisonavenue**, **not a geek freak**, and **Aravilui** (without whom, there would be no story).

You all rock Nessa's striped stockings.

I do have plenty of ideas for a sequel, though I'm not sure I want to write it at the moment. Perhaps in the future, though, so keep an eye out!

With much love and appreciation,  
_Mel. _


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